The Darkness Returns
by LaydeeChasty
Summary: Four years ago, Chihiro went back home. Everything's been normal for 4 yrs. until the day of her 14th B-day, Haku's returned but he's not back for Chihiro, he's after something and he's willing to kill himself to get it. R&RMore inside
1. The Spirit World : Attempted Escape

What's up with Haku hanging around with this girl all the time anyway? And why are all these "things" from the other world coming after Chihiro? Some of her friends aren't being too open and truth either about their life. Will the chaos end and Haku be freed or will it be another dark ending for the lives of Chihiro, her friends and Haku?

(I suck with summaries =X) That's all I can really say about the summary… But that's that main point. Other good things DO happen and you'll have to find out by reading it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the Spirited Away characters. (Chihiro, her parents and Haku) but the others are all originally created by me. Please R&R This has also been edited.. =]

**Spirited Away: The Darkness Returns**  
  
**Chapter 1:** The Other World-Attempted escape  
  
"Take Care Chihiro... I promise you, we will meet once again."  
  
Haku mumbled under his breath as he watched Chihiro run off into the vast field of grass. He nodded his head lightly and stared until Chihiro had disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel. He turned, heading back to the bathhouse. Walking past the bridge with his head hanging, he realized he already missed her. It felt like she was going to fade from his mind, although it had been such a short time.  
  
He looked straight forward, seeing every worker head back into the building. Yubabas' face was red, anger on her wrinkly face, her lips puckered, and she grumbled a few curses as she stomped off. Lin was happy, though, just by looking at her. Haku could tell she missed her friend very much. They seemed so close. Haku knew where he was going. To the next thing that was going to make Yubaba flamed up in anger once again. The azure sky reflected against Haku's eyes as he called out to Lin.  
  
"Lin!"  
  
Lin turned around to face him, a rather large false smile pasted to her feature to hide her feelings.  
  
"Yeah, what is it Haku?"  
  
"I know how much you miss Chihiro. I feel the same..."  
  
Haku looked up at Lin. He was trying to smile... but his eyes forced tears down his cheeks.  
  
"H-hey... Haku. I wouldn't worry 'bout that big dope... She's returning to her home and she's free, unlike us. We're still workers and on contract by Yubaba... If only I could remember my real name!"  
  
Haku grinned then, his eyes becoming intent as he looked at Lin.  
  
"Well not for long Lin. Not for me."  
  
"E-excuse me...? So you're going to make a run for it now? What are you? NUTS?! You've been working as Yubaba's apprentice for like, your whole life now your going to run off? I'm afraid you can't do that, you know. You're still under contract and you need your name to take your leave of this retched place."  
  
Lin said in a bit of shock, and jumped upright, excitement in her eyes. Though she stuck out her tongue just thinking about the more years of working at the bathhouse.  
  
"No. I will not run off. Even if I tried, I'd just be dragged back or hunted down. I have everything I need. And Chihiro to thank for giving me my name back...." Haku responded back in a low toned voice.  
  
"H-how did that happen"?  
  
Lin moved one step closer towards Haku with one brow lifted in confusion as she questioned him.  
  
"During the night when I went to look for Chihiro at Zaneba's home, I flew over to Swamp bottom. I found her inside of Zaneba's place with No-Face. Who'd know Yubaba's sister could be so nice. Anyhow, Zaneba committed no harm to Chihiro and well, we flew back to the bathhouse in my dragon form. As we went, I felt this... surge through my body from Chihiro's hands. It felt like I could see the memory of when she was younger."  
  
All of sudden she shouted out of what she thought my name was, "The Kohaku River". And it IS my name, strange, yes. A few years back in the real world; Chihiro dropped her little pink shoe in the river and as she reached into to get it back. She fell in herself, she thought she was going to drown but really, she fell into my river. I was the one that carried her back to shore and saved her. Now all I need to do is confront Yubaba into ripping apart my contract. I'm tired of being her henchmen and doing all her dirty work. I'm tired of being manipulated. I want to be liberated from her grasp and see Chihiro again, my friend. I promised that we would see each other again and we will."  
  
Lin just remained staring at him for a moment, then shrugged.  
  
"It's not that easy Haku. After seeing the old hag freeing her, I doubt she would let another go, especially you. But if you want help. You'll know where to find me, scrubbing the big tub again. Ugh..."  
  
Lin moaned in boredom and disgust, rolling her eyes. She turned around and walked towards into the entrance of the Bathhouse.  
  
I know I can do it... Maybe a few days would cool her off... Plus She would probably fight me, so I better be prepared. I have her magic seal. It should help a bit. The rest would be up to me and I need to be smart on it.  
  
_What element and type I must use..._

He followed behind Rin into the Bathhouse without a word to any workers. He could hear them grumbling something about unfairness and how they wanted to be free and turn back into humans. Haku kept a melancholy look on his face when heading to his room. He dropped to his futon on the wooden floor with a muffled thump from the weight of his body and looked up at the ceiling. She was always on his mind... even now.  
  
"I care about her so much... She's almost like the friend I actually care so much about in a time like this..."  
  
He waved his hand in the air above his pale face as a faint image formed of Chihiro. Slowly he smiled as he thought about her. The good times they had when she was here and their friendship. A thin red blush came upon his face.  
  
Then the sound of smashing wood from the doorway was heard.  
  
The image was nearly completely faded away when five workers fell over one another into a pile. He brushed his hand over the faded image hastily until it was gone, then sat up with his hands on his lap and legs crossed.  
  
"What in Kami-samas name do you think you're doing invading into my personal space!? Can you fools not see I'm trying to meditate!?"Haku blurted out without thinking. But it did look like a good response. The crossed legs, hands down on top of his knees...  
  
One man with a horn on the center of his forehead started laughing nervously.  
  
"I-I was just passing by Master Haku. I just saw these... workers here by your doorway. I told them to not interfere!!!"  
  
_Lies,_ Thought Haku. _All lies._  
  
Another one crawled out from the bottom pile of workers.  
  
"I was... scrubbing the floor outside your door with my fellow workers here!"  
  
He said in a pretty confident voice while reaching into the whole in the wall. He grabbed a random worker by the pants and pulled it off then shredded it into pieces of cloth as each one slid there hand on the floor to get a cloth. A yelp came off but another coughed loudly.  
  
One worker coughed loudly. "I'm sick, I better go before I infect you Master Haku!"  
  
Half of them chuckled, then violently pushed one another out the doorway. "  
  
"Wait a moment. Stop right there" Haku said in a serious tone of voice.  
  
"Y-yes, Master Haku?" One man dared to ask.  
  
"Fix the door you broke or you're in for serious trouble."  
  
He nodded and started to shout, "Wood!!! Get the wood right in here so we can fix it!!!" At this point, each worker ran out to the center in the fifth floor coming near the rails. Haku had seen the fear in their eyes. Sometimes, it was almost even funny to toy with them.  
  
Haku lifted his right hand up to his mouth with his index and thumb finger touching. But he paused. "I can't, not now. Time's running quickly, I want to escape as fast as possible." Raising to his feet, he walked over near the balcony and pushed the sliding door open where the sun slammed directly into his eyes. No blink was made.  
  
"My magic... I need the enhancement"  
  
Winds battered violently into his face after a while. His arms were stretched out to his sides at shoulder level and he was standing on the railing. With one breathe; he jumped into the air with his arms thrown back. Sparks of light and sakura leaves gathered around his body and his skin became even paler. His eyes grew into a crimson red. He needed to further extend his power, his form.  
  
**A few months later...  
**  
Lin was sound asleep with the other girls in her room. All wrapped up in her blanket with the cute pink decoration of Sakura leaves. The door slowly was slid open as Haku stepped in. The windows were closed and lightly open. Towels or a thin type of fabric hung right over the glass dimming the light and cutting it off before it reached the room. Looking foreword, Haku could see a clear path as the beds were set up neatly on the floor right next to each other. His eyes scanned for Lin as he walked up to her. Kneeling down on one knee he nudged her with his right hand over her shoulder.  
  
"Lin... Lin... it's me. Get up. I need to talk to you about this..."  
  
Lin turned her body so that she was sleeping on her back. She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and yawned as she pulled her left hand over her mouth.  
  
"W-wha...? What's wrong now Haku, You still worried bout Yubaba?"  
  
"Yeah, You can say that... What would she want from me? Even if I do tell her I have my name back. She wouldn't just tear apart my contract. She would give another test or put I'm fight. I have no clue but what ever it is, it can't get it to me. I wonder if she has contact with the other world... is she does, Chihiro is in danger... I..."  
  
"Then don't do it..."  
  
Haku shook his head.  
  
"You know I won't do that so bother talking about that. I'll take my chance. I promised her and that I won't break it." He responded with his teeth clenched together.  
  
"Hmph... Just remember. You're on your own after you leave this place. You have neither family nor friends in the outside world anymore"  
  
"Chihiro's there..."  
  
"Only her, you won't survive that easily. And even then, what makes you think it's very easy to locate where she lives? But... I think I do have something that would help you. I found this in Kamajii's Drawer the other day. I was helping him clean out his drawers of stuff and he tossed out this emerald gem. He said it was some stone of power but since he sought no use to it, he gave it to me before he tossed it into the dump. So this might help somehow. It has no good with me so take it." Lin grabbed a gem out from her pocket. Its center was crystal blue and the outer layer was green with the edges of real silver. It looked like an amulet and a locket.  
  
"Thank you Lin. You're a very cynical person; did anyone ever tell you that?"  
  
He said with a chuckle. Haku quickly bowed and ran off holding it in his palms.  
  
"Heh... Good Luck, Kohaku..."  
  
Lin whispered as she pulled the covers back over her body.  
  
Haku ran straight to downstairs. Althjough he wore his normal clothing he appeared well dressed.  
  
"Good Day Master Haku", the foreman shouted out towards Haku. Other's greeted him and went back straight to work as he headed up stairs into Yubaba's room.  
  
Others behind master Haku murmured bout Chihiro's leave. It seemed to spread so quick that after seeing Yubaba letting a girl go. They all wanted to escape as well and a few wished to turn back into humans. "Shut up and get back to work!" Master Haku turned and held his fore finger and thumb together as he started from the left and moved it quickly to the right as the Toad's mouth zipped up. They mumbled and protested trying to speak as Haku Chuckled and walked into the elevator. He pulled down the lever located on his left and slowly it traveled up. He crossed his arms and stood their silently thinking bout the right time to confront Yubaba for his freedom.  
  
_If others want to escape that would much lessen my chance for freedom and perhaps for Lin too? We both wish to leave but if the others must confront Yubaba before we can, I must take force and quickly flee from this bathhouse. I must plan this well and pull any toad, slug or human out of my way if they want to interfere. If they don't take my warning, they're going to dearly wish they had..._  
  
The elevator came to stop. The darkness of the lights was dimmed making it hard to see as Haku walked out and into the room. It was very tacky and not at all pleasant like. He knocked the doors as it swung open with a great force of wind. It struggled to pull him in. For some reason, Haku gave no movement. He walked in of his free will and with his magic seal from Yubaba he proved his power to balance out against Yubaba, the Witch that runs the bathhouse. Entering her room, he looked foreword seeing Yubaba behind her counter as always doing paper work.  
  
"Yubaba... I have a request...." Haku said in a rather cold voice.  
  
"Oh, you... What do you...?"  
  
"I don't care what you want anymore." Haku cut her off quickly.  
  
"Hm... Since when do you get fresh with your master, young man? What in the nine hells do you want, Haku? I am a very busy woman running the bathhouse." Yubaba responded as she continued to scribble down notes on ragged bit of parchment. The three green heads rolled across her carpet grunting, but kept their distance away from Haku. Her room was filled with velvet curtains and a fancy Persian carpet. The fire flickered with sparks.  
  
"I wish to stop being your apprentice, so tear apart my contract." He demanded to her with no fear but doubt that she would yeild to his demands. Yubaba lifted her head slowly, narrowing her eyes and glaring into his. She laughed, cackling like a witch. She dropped her pen on the table and stomped her foot hard against the ground, pounding her fist against the table. Her eyes popped out wide looking as if she saw a ghost.  
  
"Ah ha ha ha!!!! Real funny one Haku!! Now, what do you really want you pathetic fool..." She stopped her laughter completely though her kept eyes bulging out.  
  
"That is what I want. I have remembered my name, Kohaku. I can be freed. That is, with your approval."  
  
"Hm... you are so sure I would let you just go like that?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I have served you the most. I have done terrible tasks and had retrieved your baby before. Even He would approve of letting me go. But I do expect you want something from me, something before letting me go. "  
  
"You are smart Haku" she said with sarcasm. "Two things I desire from you are your heart and my magic seal back. I can feel that you replenished the seal with your own power but it's still mine. That's it. If you refuse... you're never leaving here and I'll turn you into a lump of coal!!!"  
  
"You leave me much of no choice... Fine.... Take what you want. At least I'll return back."  
  
Haku responded back sternly as he stood with his hands by his side. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. Yubaba cackled again as she took off from her table at past god speed and charged at him, coming to a pause with one inch away from his face. She thrusted her right hand foreword with her left hand on her hip. She placed her hand over his chest as a bolt of lighting shot out from her fingers.  
  
Then Haku's chest changed .... It became transparent, giving Yubaba the will to reach into him to retrieve his heart. Haku groaned, as he already felt light headed. He knew he had to do this. But with out his heart, there would be no care in the world for him. He wouldn't be able to develop tears. Nothing but madness would occur. She pushed in her hand and grabbed onto a hold of his heart, tearing it out. Haku was knocked down with the great force between them into the carpet floor. Yubaba held it tightly in her palm. It was a size of a baseball and what looked like, the spirit in his heart. A light sparkled out from the holes that were visible from Haku's chest but faded soon after.  
  
"Here's what I was searching for... You idiot. Now it's mine!!" She cackled wildly.  
  
She then peered over at him and nudged him with her foot against his rib cage. She moved her leg to his throat. Haku was already feeling the power drained from him as well as his heart. His light was gone. She pushed down, the pressure causing him to cough. He started to squirm. The magic seal was his only hope now, so he thought quickly and bended his knee's while he was on the floor. With a bit of vision, He made out a weak image of her and unbended his knees with great force, releasing it right into Yubaba's stomach. Pushing her off balance and away, tumbling back. He ran and grabbed his contract from the little box on Yubaba's desk. Leaping onto the windowsill he stared down and readying to jump. His palms burned through the contract setting him free to run anytime.  
  
"You're not going to get away that easily, fool!!! Get back here! I still want my seal back you... you- " Yubaba shouted out as she threw her palms together creating a quick ball of energy, almost like a bind, blasting it foreword at Haku. It slammed to his ankles sending a shock wave into his entire body. As well the bind of power spread and wrapped around his legs causing him to lose balance and fall.  
  
"_NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!_" Haku screamed and pulled in a cross with his arms over her face as he dropped. The amulet around his neck glowed intensively as a light shot out from the center and into the water. Haku dropped and aiming to fall into the portal, a black image shot out and aimed upwards towards Haku. He wanted to change into the dragon, but the bind stopped it. The black images' left palm was jerked back and tucked under, once near, he shot it out slamming it straight into Haku's chest. The magical seal slipped out from the edge of the pocket and dropped through the portal. Haku's eyes bulged out and he groaned pain. The dark image caught him in its arms and promptly knocked him out. Haku could have felt his body being hoisted over his shoulder and brought back but he wasn't really sure what was going to happen next.  
  
(I'm editing over chapters so a few things might be added into this one and the next. Thanks goes to my editor, Kat =D) 


	2. Feel The Reality Of My Nightmares

**Sorry for the long delay and this has been edited. Um, yeah, a semi- warning for the rated pg 13 is in this chapter.**

**== More will be Edited in the remaining chapters. Chapter 11 will take a while to be made since I'm editing out everything slowly, bit by bit by working with my editors. Thank you for being Patient =]==**

**Edited:** 6/6/04

**Chapter 2 **: Feel the reality of my nightmares  
  
"Ugh... What happened...?"  
  
Haku rubbed his hand against his stomach. He could still feel a large throbbing pain from the kick delivered by the old hag. His head slowly lifted from the solid ground, and under it, blood dripped down. Although he didn't realize it yet, he did when he lifted his right hand to rub his eyes; he saw blood. It couldn't have been from himself, unless that old hag sliced some part of his skin. He rubbed the blood between his fingers; it was dry. It wasn't his...luckily. When he glanced to his left then right; there was blood everywhere on the cell floor.  
  
_Just great...  
_  
A cold chill spread from his legs to his entire body as he looked around. He was inside a cell. It was damp, and there wasn't really that much room to move in. It was just like a little container that only allowed bout 3 paces in each direction, and it reeked of dry blood coming from a skeleton chained to the wall. It was a new sight, because Haku had never seen the actual cells, nor did he even know that it existed well underground. Roaches crawled past his foot and on the walls, also where a gaseous smell was seeping out from them. It reeked of probably what looked like poison. A dark, tall, shadow stood right next to the cell bars. Head lowered facing the ground, but his eyes shifted so they met Haku's.  
  
"What do you think you were trying to do...?"  
  
The young boy demanded in a stone cold voice.  
  
He was around the similar age of Haku, maybe a few years older. It wasn't really easy to tell, since most of his physical appearance had been hidden. Bout 3 bangs were shown on each side of the face. The hair seemed to be naturally white, and lead all the way to the end of his neck. He stood well bout 5'6" or so. His body all covered by a black suit with multiple belts strapped on the thigh, waist, and arm. His body was extremely well toned with muscular arms, and a six pack that was hidden. As well, he wore a choker around his neck; from it, was a pendant hanging down against his chest. His sharp nose gave him a very cruel look, one that hissed 'killer' when their eyes first meet.  
  
"What do you think I'm doing? I'm trying to get away from this place. I- I...just want to go back home..." Haku said with his teeth gritted together, his anger held back as he was quite unwilling to show it.  
  
He took a glance at him, and then turned away.  
  
"Yubaba will not let that be fulfilled, nor will your behavior be tolerated if you continue to try escaping. We could consider giving you a chance...but with your attempt to escape, as before, it would be difficult to stop someone like you. We might as well kill you now. But..."  
  
"But what? You rather torture me, right?" Haku had interrupted.  
  
"Don't think so foolishly...unless you would want that. I would be happy to grant you that wish...or free you now." The young boy said with a devilish grin as he unsheathed the small dagger from the sheath on his left boot.  
  
"Free? How? Tell me!! You wouldn't dare to betray Yubaba." Haku shouted those very words in one breath as he turned to face him. He moved close to the cell bars and tightened his grip upon on the bars in his hands, squeezing so hard that the bars had started to rattle when he abruptly smacked his fist into the bars. The dark image walked closer to the bars, and pulled his palm out. In his palms was a fake version of the magic seal.  
  
"I know you have one such as this. Hand it over, and I'll free you without any word to Yubaba."  
  
"Such lies are ones I will not fall for, especially to fall in traps of someone in the likes of you!" Haku shouted while violently shooting out his right arm between the bars. He grabbed the man by the shirt, and forcefully pulled the man over to him. The man shook his head, and then grabbed Haku by the wrist. He glared at him.  
  
The man's pupil faded within the baby blue iris, and then a light shot out on eye to eye at Haku. Haku was in pain, but he couldn't close his eyes. Something forced him to peel his eyes right open. It bled; his eyes started to bleed. Releasing the man's shirt, he stumbled down, and arms tore through the solid blood stained concrete, grabbing Haku by the shoulders, and pulling him down.  
  
"Sit down... stay down..."  
  
Voices whispered into his ears.  
  
"Move, and die.... Don't move....and live"  
  
He couldn't help it. He screamed. Blood was running down his cheeks and he was screaming then, something pierced down on his chest; something sharp. It was lightly on his chest, then deeper as it moved down to his navel. His skin was sliced open and blood forced out onto the surface, running down the side of his body and staining his clothes. His heart...was stopping. The blood down his cheeks was quickly dried. His vision was blurry, but he saw the man...he was holding the dagger, the knife. He moved it towards his mouth, and then, laughing like a mad man, he hit the handle down into his mouth, going into his throat and through the back of his neck, tearing through his skin, ripping his flesh.  
  
A hard fist struck Haku directly on the bottom jaw, which forced him to stumble back and fall down.  
  
"Enjoy the nightmare?"  
  
Haku opened his eyes. His found forehead dripping with sweat, as well he found his heart beating so hard it felt like it was to rip out of his own chest. He looked around... Nothing. Back in the cell, no knife, no wounds, not even a damn drop of blood from him-self. He was...confused.  
  
". . ."  
  
His power...was extremely rare, Haku thought.  
  
"All the killing...the bloodlust, you must admit; it was pretty realistic. Maybe that will teach you to never look me in the eyes with such an annoyed look, you ass. Someday, that will happen and I will be the one doing it to you", he remarked. "When you were 'dreaming', I searched you. So, cough it up. Where the hell did you hide it!?" the man snapped. He already had enough of these games.  
  
"Hide what!?" Haku shot back, still remaining on the floor.  
  
"The Seal, the one you replenished with your powers..."  
  
_The seal, I dropped it into the portal...  
_  
Haku pulled his arms to his back, and summoned up a fake version of the magic seal. He tossed it towards the man, who, at the same time, reached out to catch it. In doing so, he crushed it into his palms. The metal crunched then broke into pieces that slipped out from the gaps of his palm. He flipped his palm over and released all the pieces. In doing so, he stepped on it, crushing it till it was no more, and hardly seen.  
  
"You have some silly tricks up your sleeve; pretty old, stupid, foolish tricks. But, as Yubaba's TOP HENCHMAN, I will not deceive her. Hand it over willingly or I'll take it by force. And if you look at yourself, your magic is drained so that seal will be of no use."  
  
Haku waved his hand, but nothing had happened. Staring down, he noticed a shackle was wrapped around his wrist.  
  
"Yubaba's magic binds..." The dark image stared at him for a moment, and then snapped. "Where is it!?" he had shouted furiously again, causing bits of saliva to go onto Haku's cheeks and on his clothes.  
  
"I don't have the magical seal..." Haku told the man.  
  
"Stop fooling..." He had his eyebrows arched and he gritted his teeth.  
  
_I must not deceive Yubaba. She would kill me! His mind tells the truth though..._  
  
"Then you're going to help me look for it...no matter what. Even if you refuse, the magical bind also has its own special properties. The magical ability of pure manipulation..."  
  
At that moment, Haku had stoned. His body had stopped moving and he was standing up straight. The man stared at him and sent a telepathic message to his mind.  
  
"Now, you listen, you call me master Daiki. You and one of my apprentices shall first check out the other world here, incase your stupid little mind is wrong. Return to the real world and get the seal back. No matter what the costs, even at your death! Get it back from anyone, and slaughter anyone whom would get in your way. Your heart is taken, so you shall feel nothing in killing. Your magic is weak here, but strong in the other world. Now go...and don't come back till you have completed your mission. As well, I will be there watching. Don't you dare deceive me..."  
  
Daiki had commanded, and then opened up his own portal outside the cell by rotating his hand in thin air. Dark streaks of light shot out the body and into the air which swirled a slow echo as it opened. Lifting up his wrist, a watch cam was strapped on. "Yubaba, I'm heading out to retrieve your seal. I will not fail you, Master Yubaba." Daiki had said, and then held his head up high. His blue eyes glowed fiercely as Haku walked towards the cell bars and went through them as if they were transparent. Stepping in, the darkness quickly devoured them...


	3. The Real World : Manipulation of Magic

**Chapter 3** : The Real World- Manipulation of Magic  
  
**4 Years later...**  
  
"Chihiro, come on!!!"  
  
Gavin shouted at Chihiro's window. No answer. He bent down in his baggie pants, picked up a pebble in front of Chihiro's lawn, and whipped it at her window. Next thing you know...  
  
"Ah!!!!"  
  
A scream shot from Chihiro's room as she jumped out of her bed after seeing the window right beside her bed with a large crack from a little rock...not a pebble... right under the window sill. Before she got to the window, she tripped over her own feet, and landed flat on her belly with a groan.  
  
Gavin cringed and scratched the back of his neck as he heard the shriek. Then, hearing her hit the floor; he winced, and lipped the word, "ouch" while running his fingers through his spiky hair. Chihiro got on her feet smoothly and peered through the crack of the closed window looked down for Gavin with a sigh.  
  
"If you're not getting ready, I'm heading off to the school without ya..."  
  
Gavin teased, tossing his thin black jacket over his left shoulder and trotting off. He closed his eyes as he turned, smirking and knowing what would happen... She was going to stop him, he knew her too well.  
  
"Wait up!!!"  
  
Chihiro had shouted back from her bedroom. She ran down the stairs in her Chococat pajamas, and opened the door for him.  
  
"You always have to be like this..." She said while holding a brush in one hand and a toothbrush in the other.  
  
"Maybe if you always didn't wake up late..." He said in a witty way. Gavin turned around and looked at her from head to toe then right back up.  
  
"And you still wear Chococat Jammies? Pfft."  
  
He snickered under his breath as Chihiro ignored him. Chihiro ran back up stairs and into her bathroom. She brushed her hair straight down, and then brushed her teeth as she changed into her school outfit. She wore a knee level skirt, and a blue t-shirt. Her hair was tied up as usual; a small ponytail on the back, and bangs by the sides of her face. Everyday, she ties up her hair for school, but lets it down afterwards. Chihiro had changed a lot through the past four years. She was 5'2'' exactly, and she wore a choker around her neck that Gavin had given to her on her 13th birthday. Her rose red cheeks seem to have faded, but her beauty was extraordinary. She had grown into a very beautiful and wise young lady, and a great student. Chihiro didn't look too different than from 4 years ago, except for her height and a bit of a hair change; just a little bit that it was barely noticeable. When Chihiro walked out from the bathroom, she tossed her comb on top of her drawer in her room and knelt down.  
  
"Gum... gum...."  
  
She mumbled, opening every single drawer of clothes and looking under it. The first one had pieces of gum wrappers, the next had broken headphones and the others were the same almost, some with jewelry until the 5th drawer out of the six. When she opened it, there was nothing in it but a scrunchie that lay there slightly covered with thick pieces of dust. Chihiro swallowed hard and slowly drew her hands in and lifted it out. She brought it close to her lips and blew the dust off and immediately, the scrunchie looked as good at new. She rubbed the soft gentle fabric of the scrunchie between her fingers then sighed and wore it over her boney wrist.  
  
"Good memories... too bad he lied to me."  
  
She mumbled and slammed the drawer shut with her bangs covering her eyes as she recalled her time in the Spirit World, with Haku, the one she loved.  
  
**Downstairs**

****  
Gavin had stepped in, glanced around, and he took a seat on the black leather sofa. He sat with his body slouching then closed his eyes. His hands overlapped each other over his stomach and rested there.  
  
_Hurry up it up Chihiro... Naoki, Tiffany, Akinori, Damian, Johnny and Masahiro are all waiting in the schoolyard with the party planned for your Birthday today...Man, I don't believe you still think there's school... It's SUMMER! You're always such a goody two shoes..._   
  
"Meow."  
  
A little peep came out from Misuira, Chihiro's house cat. She stared at Gavin with her beady dark brown eyes as Gavin stared back at her. It was a pure breed of a caffre type cat; soft, brown, dark fur with bits of black strips. It meowed, and then jumped on the sofa next to Gavin. Purring, it moved closer to him, and then sat on his lap. Gavin ran his pale skinned hand against the cat's head slowly, then down its back as it purred.  
  
"Hey there, Misuira..."  
  
Gavin slipped one hand into his pocket, pulling out a small piece of yarn that was torn off of the sweater his stepmother had gotten him two days ago. He held it over Misuira's head. The cat rolled onto its back and clawed it. Trying to reach it, it jumped higher, but as did, Gavin moved it upward, just out of its grasp.  
  
"Aren't you a cutie just like Chihiro."  
  
Gavin had said playfully, then let go of the yarn. He laughed and hugged the cat tightly. Misuira moved her paw into his pocket, and pulled out a rectangle shaped metal. It started to claw it, but then Gavin reacted quickly and pulled it away.  
  
"Hey, hey!! That is not something you can play with. Misuira, why won't you go _get_ Chihiro already...okay? "

_"And stop annoying me because this is something you should never touch!"_  
  
Gavin pulled it away from Misuira's prying claws, and stuffed it back into his pocket. Getting up to grab his cd player from his school bag stapped to his, Misuira jumped off his lap and ran, heading straight to the stairs like a scared mouse that just jets off.

**Upstairs**

Misuira sniffed around the second floor and slowly made it's way towards the white door. Meowing loudly, she slipped into Chihiro's room through the crevic eand jumped on her bed with one great leap. For a while, Misuira sat there staring at Chirhiro searching through her closest of clothes and other things, looking for a perfect accessory to match her outfit. Then, it started to hiss at her.  
  
"Misuira?"  
  
Chihiro asked questioningly when she walked out from the closet and stared at her. Her eyes lighted up as she approached her feline friend for a little hug until it hissed against with the loud shriek of a cat.  
  
"What's the matter with you?"  
  
Misuira continued to hiss at her. Its claws had been dug deeply into the blanket on Chihiro's bed. A few seconds, it went deeper, deep enough that its nails went through the blanket. Leaping to the ground quickly, it leapt again about 5 feet off the pink carpet and right past Chihiro; the cat's keen nails running across her cheek.

Chihiro backed away immediately and caught her hand over her cheek. She squealed, and fell to her knees. Her hands brushed over the scratch, and she cringed with a shudder. What the hell was happening?  
  
"Misuira! Stop please!!!" She pleaded.  
  
Misuira seemed to ignore her command, and dashed at Chihiro. Jaws wide open, the cat targeted her ankle, and bit in deeply; blood started to trickle from the edges of its mouth. It snarled as Chihiro screamed and kicked her legs out. One kick slammed against Misuira's cheek, but the grip did not loosen. Its fangs started to grow large as if it were a Saber. Misuira's growth continued till it looked as if it were a bobcat, but with a longer length and a tail. It threw itself over Chihiro's body as it forced down its weight. It started to grow even larger, now, an image of a white tiger. Its humungous claws then ran past her arm repeatedly and then over her chest. It pushed right down on her torso area, almost stopping her heartbeat.  
  
"Ahhhh!! Get off of me, Misuira!!! What's gotten into you!?"

The little battle between them began as Chihiro ran here and there, trying to dodge Misuira's quick movements instead of fighting back. Finally, Misuira jumped up at her face first and landed on her shoulder. Misuira started to move around, clawing anywhere it could and eventually, cuts were made on her neck. Chihiro shrieked in utter cries for help as she grabbed her cat by the fur and tried to pull her away for it kept coming at her.   
  
Due to the heavy music plugged into Gavin's ears, he couldn't really hear a thing, but the vibrations from furniture crashing upstairs caused a lamp to fall right over his CD player, knocking it off the table, and crushing into it as sparks flicked on and off.  
  
"Oh wow, this is really messed up..."  
  
He grumbled, and then rubbed his ears from the screeching noise that he heard from the CD player as it went nuts on him right before it crashed onto the floor. He then heard the screams from Chihiro. Gavin gave an irked sigh and took his time heading upstairs.  
  
'She probably saw a roach again..."  
  
He went up stairs calmly, and being the laggard that he was at times, took his time. While he was slowly taking his time up the stairs, Chihiro barged through the doorway, falling right on top of him. With her body pressing against his, all he could say was,  
  
"Wow that must be some big roach in your room, eh?"  
  
"M-M-M-Misuira!!!"  
  
She stammered, and then rolled to the side onto her bum next to Gavin. "What?" He questioned, and then noticed the marks on her cheeks. He told her to stay calm. Maybe it wasn't a roach problem after all...Gavin looked super confident when he was telling her this. He turned around after he finished telling Chihiro to head downstairs, and saw a white tiger before him. "Um...hi?" He squeaked out barely above a whisper, being frozen in fear.  
  
"Slowly... move.... away..."  
  
He slowly scooted backwards, and when Misuira hissed, he jumped up and ran down the stairs...which turned to jumping down the stairs. "Misuira!! Stop it now!!" He shouted when he tripped down the last 2 steps of the stairs, and got pinned down by Misuira.  
  
Misuira's ears twitched then the pressure from its paw let up on his chest. It backed away while shaking its head. It looked at Gavin with its dark brown eyes, and backed away from him.  
  
"Wait, wait!! Stop. Stay. Whatever!!!"  
  
Gavin shouted nervously as Misuira stepped away. It raced back up the stairs and under the bed, then came back out as it once was; a small, cute, house cat. She dashed out the door, out of the room. Gavin stared into the space like he'd seen a ghost or something, and turned back at Chihiro.  
  
_What was that all about...something's not right..._  
  
Meanwhile, Chihiro's rapid heartbeat had clamed as she deeply breathed in and out.  
  
"Ow..."  
  
She mumbled under her breath as her blood stained the carpet. She blacked out on the carpet and stayed that way. Gavin ran to Chihiro and placed his right arm under her head. His eyes held a worried look as he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around the wounded areas...


	4. Memories That Still Flow

Chapter 4-Memories that still flow  
  
"Chihiro!!!"  
  
"Do you hear me honey?"  
  
"What happened to her Gavin?"  
  
Chihiro's father asked with a serious tone of voice mixed in with rage. Her father loved Chihiro very much and looks out for her because she's the only child. If anything were to ever happen...  
  
Gavin felt his bones getting shaky and his eyes, it didn't want to meet with Chihiro's father. He knew she was loved by her family and they treated him like their own kid sometimes.  
  
He liked the feeling of being love and that brought the good out from the bad attitude that he had towards his old man.  
  
Maybe this was his fault, his fault that he couldn't protect her, his fault that he didn't hear her scream until the very last minute...  
  
"I'm really not sure but she was attacked by a wild like Cat"  
  
Gavin had responded as he felt like something just wrapped around his neck and pull him down to the floor. Gavin shook his head from side to side and he was sorry for what he couldn't do. He shoved his hands into his pockets and felt some type of cold metal.  
  
(Maybe...)  
  
~~~~~~~~~Waiting Room~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Poor Chihiro..."  
  
Tiffany said in a low sad voice. She had her hands clasped together down on her lap then she placed them palm first down onto her lap where she had a pink scented tissue and started twisting it due to the nervous state that she was currently in now.  
  
"Talk bout dumb luck on her birthday" mumbled Johnny.  
  
"I know how you feel Gavin...She'll be okay I hope..."Naoki had said as she patted her hand against Gavin's back.  
  
"Doctor, will my baby be all right?"  
  
Chihiro's mother asked in a worried voice. Her hands shaking uncontrollably as she tried her hardest to not let the tears out. Her voice started to crack and clear drops flowed out from her eyes.  
  
"She's doing well. Stable pretty much. No broken bones... although that's a miracle because a wild cat must have been pretty heavy to be weighing down on her... Anyway, a few minor cuts surprisingly... on her arms and legs and such. It's like magic that she healed... or maybe that wild cat never existed...Hm, within a few weeks, she'll be good to go. No worries..."  
  
Miss Ferro responded softly and pushed her glasses back up on top of her nose and brushed the curly hair out of her eyes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How can a large cat possibly get into her room without breaking the window or door...? Maybe all Gavin talks bout is bull. He obviously wanted to hurt her purposely,"  
  
Damian had said. He fiddled with the silver chain around his neck then cracked all his knuckles at once. He shook his head in disappoint with the curls shifting from left to right finding that to be too hard to believe but there must had been a scientific explanation for the wounds. (Didn't hear the news from the doctor yet about the minor cuts)  
  
"No way... if you guys noticed closely, those two are like the best of buds for 4 years. Maybe it's just you Damian... Plus, there was a little break in the window I've heard. A REAL little break." protested Tiffany with disagreement. Her blue eyes sparkled in the light above her, putting the back of her hand under her chin trying to think with her elbow resting on her lap.  
  
"Whatever Tiff..."  
  
Damian responded back with a sneer at her.  
  
"Well yeah, what Tiffany does say could be true. Gavin was always the type that looked out for her a lot. Before he even met her, he was always so quiet and everything. Haven't said much since the day after spring break.... Now that he's met her, seems like he's changed. Don't you agree?"  
  
Naoki had said swinging out her feet back and forth on the blue plastic chair.  
  
"That's...also true considering me and Naoki had met Gavin first out of all you guys. Maybe it's love..."  
  
Masahiro had said, as he blushed a bit. He bit his lip and looked over at Akinori.  
  
"Maybe so..."Johnny Agreed.  
  
"You're all exaggerating...and it's late so I think we better go..."  
  
Akinori had said from the white tiled floor. She had been sitting on the piles of jackets over their bags and huddled under her own jacket, making it look like her own small tiny nest.  
  
"It's only 4 P.M. and what do you think then Miss Know-it-all"  
  
Johnny had said with a bit of anger in his tone of voice. He really didn't like Akinori, nor did he hate her... She just looked like one to bicker so much it would drive him over the edge sometimes.  
  
A few minutes passed and there was silence.  
  
"See, so shut your trap. Maybe you're just... what's the word for it...Be it jealousy!?" Johnny shouted over at her in a taunting way with his fingers making a shape of a heart.  
  
"There they go again."  
  
Naoki and Masahiro said rolling there eyes and slouching back.  
  
"H-hey watch the words that come out your mouth. No need to disrespect this one fine lady."  
  
Damian said with a wink at Akinori. Naoki giggled with her hands cupped over her mouth, leaned forward and set herself in a comfortable position for another entertainment show by them 3.  
  
"Dammit shut up Johnny!! That's none of your business, if you want to get your ass kicked. Come on!"  
  
Akinori screamed out and showing a gesture with her arms.  
  
"Would you god damn teens shut up!? This is a hospital!!"  
  
An old woman shouted at them from behind Damian then turned back to the newspaper she was reading. All of them then went in complete silence but all Damian did was laugh and wave his hand in mid air, "my my, what bad breathe!" Johnny snickered. Masahiro shook his head and just turned away with a smirk on his face. As usual, Damian was being the clown he always was.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~Hospital Corridor/Room~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Poor Gavin, he's worried sick."  
  
Tiffany said as she turned to look at Gavin. Who had took off to Chihiro's room. He just left no good bye or even telling her, "I'm going..." She scrunched up her nose, leaned against the wall and sighed a heavy sigh when she stomped her foot hard into the floor.  
  
Gavin pushed opened the door slowly after turning the doorknob. He stepped in holding onto his gray jacket tightly in his arms. Walking forward he placed down his jacket over one of the chairs that had a red oak desk next to it. A cup of water, a bag of food and flowers rested on the very table and he neared the bed. He placed his hand over her head then slowly run his fingers against her silky hair and brushed her cheek where a scratch that he could have sworn was a large scar was now a small one. He hung his head and whispered.  
  
"I'm glad you're okay."  
  
He grabbed her hand and held it tightly in his. Taking a seat beside the bed he lowered his head.  
  
(Chihiro's Mind...)  
  
(Oh Sen...Sen...Get up now...I said get up dammit!!!)  
  
(W-who are you...?)  
  
(Oh you stupid idiot!! Don't you recognize me...)  
  
(Stop calling me Sen!!!)  
  
(Oh Sen Sen...Poor Sen... I'm going to get you...I'm going to kill you and everyone else you love so much...I want you back. Back with me forever and ever...I won't let you go.)  
  
(No-face...why are you like this? (I thought you were good...Didn't you stay with Zaneba?)  
  
(Took you long enough SEN! Better run when you can. )  
  
(Why do you want me...? Answer me. I don't understand Tell me why you keep looking for me...)  
  
(I just want you Sen and only you...I'm lonely...oh so lonely...)  
  
(I c-can't...)  
  
(Sen...You can't refuse. You aren't allowed too. )  
  
(No...I won't...)  
  
(Yes you will...or I will make someone so close to you...so loving, die...Burn before your very eyes and I'll remove your warmth loving heart...)  
  
(Chihiro ran off into the dark distance of her dreams. The light was devoured and not even seen. Only did it shine upon No-Face. This couldn't be No-face. Chihiro knew it. Why would he say such nasty things... and killing her?)  
  
(Sen...come here...I won't hurt you. I'll give you anything you ever desire!!!  
  
(Then leave me alone. I don't want to go back!!!)  
  
(No-Face's shadow moved against the walls and appearing the left then to the right and repeatedly. Reaching out his hands he clouded over her and opened his large mouth. Chihiro whom is till running in panic comes to a pause and faces him. Her shoulder and body trembling in fear as No-Face moved closer. His mouth took up the entire volume of the room...)  
  
Chihiro slowly opened her eyes as sweat poured from her forehead. She panted rapidly. She could hear Gavin calling out her. She was breathing heavily and she thought back those very words.  
  
"It was only a dream...but why would No-face want me back...? Those words that came from his mouth... tha-"  
  
Before she finished she turned her head and looked to the right seeing Gavin's head resting against the bed. Her left hand ran over her cheek feeling the scar and she shuddered from the cuts on her arms. Her legs were completely sore as she moved it lightly. Sitting up straight she smiled seeing Gavin right beside her. It was 3 A.M. in the morning and the hospital was very quiet. The wind whistled silently and the branches from the tree knocked against the clear window that shown the night sky filled with stars.  
  
"Gavin...Psss...Gavin!" She whispered his name right by his ear.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ ((Dream))  
  
(Gavin's Mind)  
  
(Gavin rushed through the forest. Panting furiously his leaped through over rocks. Crossing over a bridge he could hear voices from a distance. A woman in car whom looked vaguely familiar with blond long hair that streamed down her back. Her eyes were a truly blessing colour of hazel and blue. She wore a light thing white shirt and white pants. Her smile was dashingly beautiful. You can even say she looked like an angel. Gavin had rushed out and came about an empty road with a beauty view of the entire city. There...He stood standing. Getting the flash images back...in his dreams...making them into nightmares.)  
  
("He's sure to love his birthday gift that I've been saving up for. It's all that that boy has been begging me to get...even left these cute little notes and hints for 2 months and going.")  
  
(The woman had said then giggled. She was driving through a mini-van. Her eyes wide open to the rode. But some other's been not. A truck was getting nearer and nearer. As she drove over to the right, it followed then next the truck had crushed up against the sedimentary rocks, flipping the entire tank over due to the weight of the delivery. The truck flipped down to one side and swerved, crashing down against the solid cement. The driver's arm was held out and hanging right outside the opened window. Tthe tank had a leak. Gasoline was what was in there.)  
  
("Oh my god!!!")  
  
( Immediately when she had seen this she swerved for a quick stop but she was unlucky. The car swerved into the rails and broke right through it landing her right near the edge).  
  
("Mom, get out of there now!!! Please!!!")  
  
(A cigarette had dropped out from the car window. From the driver's finger's it had dropped and fell upon the gasoline in which it still lit. The fire exploded and spread quickly. The woman screamed in horror. She was panicking and had no escape. She reacted fast and grabbed the handle to open the door in which she kicked opened and fire erupted in. Quickly, the rear of the car had caught fire and she was on the tip of the edge. Without warning, the fire had reached the truck, exploding it into bits. Gavin dashed out from the forest and ran into the flames but nothing had burned him. He was like a shadow that can never be touched nor heard. He ran to the door of the car and lunged out his hands, attempting to grab his mother's hand to pull her back into safety. His hand went close to her hand but all it did was go through like he was invisible. The entire car rosed up into flames and she was trapped inside. She fell back into the seat of the car, slowly it tipped over and Gavin had seen it all. Always in his nightmares he screams and cries seeing his mother's death. And thus, he blames himself for it. On his 12th Birthday, his mother had been gone...)  
  
After that very day... his father was at home, sitting in his own home office with his hands clung to the phone so tightly, it looked as if it was going to snap and the sound of his voice cracked. It was after baseball practice, his last season and he came home with another victory. The great news... never told, when he walked into the very room of his home, he heard the news. His father didn't want Gavin to feel like he had to blame himself for her death so he kept it from him from why she left that Saturday... Sooner or later, it was going to be revealed and it did. It impacted him like a thousand needles shot through his heart. From that one, he visited her grave... each week before his B-day. He never gave a real smile on his face, just ones that were false at heart. 


	5. The Truth

(Author's Note: I noticed in the last few chapters I kind of mixed the story within the labels like, "Waiting Room" or "Dream", sorry bout that. So in the continuation of the chapters, I'll just do like, "~~~" things. =])  
  
Chapter 5- The Truth  
  
Gavin's shoulder slumped down and his grip of the blanket on Chihiro's lap tightened. His hair became disheveled when he held the blanket edge to his cheek and tossed his head from side to side. Clear watery tears slowly streamed down from his crying face. Chihiro didn't really understand... and like the others, Gavin never revealed about that incident to anyone but Naoki.  
  
"Chihiro..."  
  
Gavin mumbled in his sleep.  
  
"Mother...why did you have to do that?"  
  
Chihiro leaned forward closely to him till she was on her knees sitting on the bed. Listening to the very words he said, she wondered if she should ask him... Just seeing Gavin like this sent a sharp pain into her chest and her eyebrows arched upwards. She had a worried look on her face and gently tapped him on the back the neck and then whispered his name.  
  
"Gavin... Are you okay?"  
  
He didn't move.  
  
Chihiro placed her hands on his arm and pulled it away, finally to reveal his face, he was grinning widely and Chihiro's eyebrow lifted up with a confused look. Gavin's eyes were looking directly into hers and she sighed.  
  
(Was he joking!?)  
  
Her mind reran that scene with her eyes looking up at the ceiling and her skinny arms crossed over her chest. Gavin sat back up and sniffed then ran his hair from front to back. He leaned back into the chair and chuckled.  
  
"Can't believe you fell for that Chihiro..."  
  
The way he said it, it seemed false but he added a smile again to Chihiro before she complained more.  
  
"You're such a jerk sometimes, Gavin!"  
  
Chihiro said with a giggle and a forced smile. She couldn't really tell if Gavin was being honest or he was lying to her face... She gave a shove into his shoulder and Gavin got up and leapt back just in time. He snatched his jacket from the chair, did a back flip and landed right in front of the door.  
  
"We'll, not a jerk, more like a joker."  
  
He reached his hand onto the doorknob, gave a turn and pulled it open. Just as he stepped out, he flashed his smile at her and said, "Ciao and get better". He walked right out, slammed the door shut and stood in the corridor. His eye glanced around and there was no sign of Tiffany. Tiffany seemed to have disappeared, perhaps left, but he doubted it. His head hanging and he shook his head. He wiped a few tears from his face with the back of his hand and his lips trembled.  
  
( I wonder if she really did believe that... And after that dream, it's gotten me thinking again... )  
  
"Maybe it was my fault... damn.."  
  
He jammed his fist into the wall and cracked all the knuckles from his right hand then drew it back into his baggy jean pockets where he walked to the waiting room to return with the others.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~Waiting Room~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There was a moment of silence in the room when Gavin walked in. His hazel coloured eyes shifted around to see who was there and obviously, Akinori had left... Anyway, Johnny was still there sitting in his seat and bursting out hysterical laughter from just looking at his feet and Masahiro was starting off into space as usual, probably daydreaming bout Naoki. Others had been asleep on their own chair or taking up two chairs with their jackets covering over their own body. After a moment, Johnny went silent and dozed off from the boredom of making him crack-up. What an idiot, some might say. Only Masahiro sat awake. His eyes looked sleepy and obviously, you can tell, his head bobbed up and down, back and forth. And every time he leaned all the way back, his eyes would jump back right open.  
  
Masahiro wore his usual get-up, his black cap with blue lines on the edges and blood red words sewn in the front that said "Raven Inc." along with his green bandana under his head with his dark brownish black hair tied into a ponytail. He even wore a white tee under his puffy north face jacket along with a pair of short in a dark navy color. That he was a weird person... It was summer, why was he still wearing a north face jacket???  
  
Gavin coughed quietly with his hand in a fist over his mouth and moved it back into his pocket as he took a seat near sleeping Tiffany. He was right, she didn't leave. As only a few moment passed, Gavin sat his back against the chair, head hung and only dim lights shining overhead made him sleepy... when it came time, he fell sleep.  
  
"Ah..."  
  
Tiff yawned with her hand over her mouth and blinked a few times. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and looked around. Everyone was asleep... except, Masahiro. She had this eager look on her face like she wanted to discuss something. He got up and tiptoed over next to Masahiro and as she did, she had to cross over Johnny's sleeping body and his loud snoring was just unbearable, it rung like a broken alarm clock with its alarm off like crazy. She cringed and mumbled something as she crossed then pulled it jacket over his face.  
  
"Finally, that idiot can't ever stop snoring..."  
  
She grumbled then seated next to Masahiro was looked like he was falling asleep too... Her eyebrows meeting at her forehead arched up and she sighed.  
  
"You're not sleeping! It's rude to ignore a young lady who's got something to talk bout that's very very very important!!"  
  
She hissed in a whisper as she snapped her fingers in front of his face.  
  
"Hey...earth to lover boy-with-science-but-never-any-girls!"  
  
She hissed again and nudged him in the arm then aimed a kicked at his ankle to catch his attention.  
  
"Ow!!!! W-what!? Tiffany you got to stop doing that. It hurts!!!"  
  
He shouted loudly reminding Tiffany bout Akinori's loudmouth younger sister. Tiffany pulled her hand over his mouth. She looked at him, eye to eye and she got a serious look on her face.  
  
"Zip. It."  
  
Masahiro's head nodded Then she pulled her hand away down back on her lap.  
  
"So what's this about?"  
  
He whispered at her.  
  
"The Secret."  
  
She said back with her eyes staring at him like she was trying to read his mind. Masahiro arched his head back and shook it from side to side.  
  
"What? You don't trust me? And yes, only I know!"  
  
He said sounding a bit cautious. He rolled his eyes and rotated his shoulder in circles to crack a few tired bones.  
  
"You're really a thing."  
  
"A "thing"?"  
  
She shot a look at him.  
  
"I mean... a demon."  
  
"A good demon"  
  
She added in.  
  
"Um, right, good demon... but hey, we never know for sure, right?"  
  
He said with a smirk. She didn't smile. He cleared his throat with his nervous eyes starting to glance around.  
  
"And that's all you wanted to tell me... Since I'm a friend, you're lucky I didn't black mail your butt or sold you out."  
  
He responded with a glare into her eyes. Quite loud he said it too...  
  
".... I guess I'm lucky then."  
  
There was a short awkward silence.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
He mumbled under his breath. Tiffany just shrugged.  
  
"Just remember, if you see any weird things happening, tell me a.s.a.p, got that?"  
  
She said in a low tone of voice. Masahiro just nodded and he kept his mouth shut from asking any more questions. He really wanted to know how she got to be a guardian, about her life and all. Isn't that what close friends are suppose to know about one another?  
  
"I understand."  
  
They stayed quiet again after that and Masahiro couldn't help but glance at her a few times as the others as well. Tiffany just sat with her legs crossed Indian style on the chair and slouched her body.  
  
(I have so much I want to ask... I mean, maybe, I'm actually speaking to a real different race!!! )  
  
Those words flowed from his mind and he knew if he asked, she wouldn't respond back, even if she did, she'd probably lie, because her purpose is only to guard someone...  
  
Gavin shifted his hand from across them and tossed his body the other way. His eyes opened with a blink of an eye. Tiffany's face had a smile and she walked towards Gavin. Masahiro watched as she did and turned his head to the side, looking through the pitch-black corridor. He couldn't get comfortable so turned his body horizontally so that from head to toe, leaning on his back. It took up three chairs. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes mumbling. Slowly he seemed to have dozed off.  
  
(Why do all the girls pay attention to Gavin?)  
  
"Hey Gavin, you feeling better?"  
  
Tiffany asked.  
  
"I'm fine. I'm really cool with this... She'll get better like the doctor said. It's only a few wounds..."  
  
He said in his forced calm voice. Tiffany's lips slanted and she sighed. She didn't want to talk bout Chihiro so she quickly swapped to the next question. Before she had a chance to ask, he blurted out,  
  
"I'm going back to her house to investigate."  
  
"Her parents aren't going to let you in, ya know."  
  
"They don't have too... I know they think I did it but I know what I saw and I'm going over tomorrow to find out what the hell it was. I'm serious; it was a big cat, more like a Saber!!"  
  
"Right."  
  
She responded with forced sarcasm. In her own world, she knew enough that things like that were possible. So maybe it was possible her too since she was sent here... why couldn't something else be sent here possibly too? 


	6. The Spirit World : Distraction of a

( I'd like to thank those who are reading this... =D Makes me happy, hehe. I hope those who are reading this will enjoy the story as it goes on and I know I haven't been writing much bout Chihiro but I'm just getting started with this and I guarantee she'll appear more often in the story in a few chapters. )  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter 6: The Other World : Distraction of a False Target Becomes Luck  
  
"Stop right there!!"  
  
A voice shouted into the distance as a dragon raced against through the forest, whipping its tail from side to side and within each swing, a powerful amount of wind whipped against the trees that caused many branches to snap. It was white and had a long slender body. Its eye color was a deepening ocean blue. Its claws were huge the greenish blue hair ran through his back. It has four furious claws that were ready to strike at any moment. The dragon had blood all over its body as it swiftly moved by air just a few inches off the ground.  
  
"I said STOP!"  
  
A girl wearing a black headgear had two horns attached from one side of the hat and on the other. It had four shiny rubies engraved into the metal headgear and black hair streamed out from the sides, going down past her ears, all the way down to her waist.  
  
She leapt off the tree branch from the left, located far back of the forest and pounced upon the beast's back, charging it directly it into the ground, head first, as she grabbed its long white whisker's drawing it back. The head lifted up instantly in the air, with his head jerked back as the beast roared in anger. The wind picked up furiously as it blasted against the girl's hair, battering it into her face and the beast. The girl quickly slipped the gold handled hilt of her dagger hidden under from her black leather boots and placed it directly under the beast's throat; readying to slit it apart if it made any more movement. Right there, the beast's stopped and breathed hard as its saliva poured out from the edges of its mouth. Slowly the girl had loosened her grip and then slammed the hilt against the beast side of his head and lashed out some sort of electrical steel collar around his neck that shot out at unspeakable speed from her bare hands. He dropped to the ground and groaned in pain with a roar. Dust puffed up from the floor and was carried away by the winds.  
  
She leapt off to the ground, both hands down on one knee touching the ground. Her glance turned cold, she stood up on both feet and chuckled as she closed her eyes and spoke.  
  
"Listen Haku... I really don't want to do this but you really give me no choice... Either you would have to agree with me or pay the consequences. Ever since Daiki handed you to me (with a weak control on you), you snapped off like crazy! You already broke out from Daiki's limited control. Is that not enough?"  
  
Opening her eyes, the girl pushed a little blue button her wristwatch as it sent in an electrical shock as Haku roared even louder. His eyes bulged out then slowly Haku nodded his head. His eyes were burning with anger and his body had already started to bleed again through some wounds on his sides.  
  
The girl ran her fingers against his neck and a bright holy light emitted from her hands that soon closed the minor cuts on his body.  
  
"Now that's a good boy. Just sniff it out and we'll be done with this torment ya hear? We've been searching for a few years but nothing. It's time for the next village in this world."  
  
She said in a cheerful way. Haku saw it this way, she was evil and good and quite young she looked, maybe only sixteen? Yeah, that must have been it. She didn't look too smart either...Maybe he could fool her? It was worth a try after all.  
  
Haku snapped his large jaw at the girl in a friendly way and pointed the tip of nose over to the right. His large whisker's whipped around against the dirt.  
  
"So you're finally communicating, good boy... Come on, let's move it!!!"  
  
She jumped on his back and grabbed Haku's hair that lined down from his head to the end of his tail. Haku growled as warm smoke was released out from his nostrils. He raced off, kicking out dust that created large mounds of dirt with his hind legs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~Chuuin (Seven-Week Mourning Period) Village~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"He's dead, isn't he mommy?"  
  
A little child said as she stared at the lifeless body.  
  
"Let me perform a proper ritual."  
  
The tall dark figure said. He was wearing a dark blood red cloak that reached all the way down to the floor with a hood over his face, over his eyes, over his appearance. He reached his hand out to the dead body that was soon arranged to fit into a small, tight coffin box. His hand was placed on the chest of the dead man and it emitted a green eerie glow.  
  
"I will send his soul to let it pass on."  
  
He announced to the crowd of people that surrounded him, all in happiness, eagerness and amazement. They believed this man was sent by god himself...The light shined brightly and soon the appearance of the man's soul was brought out to the let the people's naked eyes see the poor soul enter into the head of the staff, shaped of a skull, that the cloaked man held in his left free hand. A moment of silence then what looked to the people's eyes, the soul was shot out up into the air and into the sky then disappeared. The cloaked man's lips formed a devious grin for the soul was still trapped within his staff where he took their source of power for a way to gain his powers to make it greater.  
  
Tears of the people came out and the women covered their children's eyes. The village men grabbed the dead body by the arms, dragging it to the fire that roared brightly into the darkness and tossed it in, literally, to let it burn into black ashes.  
  
Soon, everyone fell down to their knees and clasped their hands together, praying.  
  
"Let us, appreciate this man for dying to continue the 1000 year old ritual that has been passed down from generation, to generation... From here on, in this village, we shall continue these sacrifices so the gods that sent me here will lend me the power, to aid the people of the village. Now, we start the seven-week mourning in this village. As you all know, through out this period, we must follow to the rules that apply till the last week where we must then kill off a creature that lurks in the forest nearby and sacrifice to the gods once more to complete the last part of the ritual!"  
  
The cloaked man said in a proud voice as he lifted his staff up into the air and a dark light that shrieked aloud over the crowd of people. Slowly, beams of light could be seen from the people's body pulling outwards and entering into the skull of the staff. Slowly, bit-by-bit, the faces became pale. Soon, their eyes just closed and they stoned like cement had devoured their living bodies.  
  
A cackle came from the man and he laughed like a maniac after a moment the energies of the people had all been pulled into the skull, giving the man more power. At that point, time seemed like it was frozen. No one moved and it was utter silence in each turn.  
  
"You pathetic humans... Always this stupid...."  
  
He cackled then walked away from the ritual circle that had been layed out at the center of the village. He pulled off the hood revealing pure blood red hair that streamed down to his back, tied at the end. His face was a pure dark color, tanned skin and his eyes showed madness in it. He stood around 6'11'' and maybe mid 20's. He couldn't help but laugh each time he did this, for the last 1000 years, only a few smart ones found it odd and confronted him but in the end, maybe they weren't so smart... because they ended up dying.  
  
The frozen days was finally interrupted...  
  
On a depressing day, the body of the people remained lifeless until the cloaked man allowed too or the seven-week mourning period had come to a halt. The cloaked man sat on a log, just inside his little home, drinking some green tea forged by his own magic. It was just hot plain water with some special mint leaves floating above the surface and soon become so absorbed within the water, it sank to the bottom just like the village was going too unless someone killed this man. And maybe this must had been the very week...  
  
It didn't take to long because the Chuuin village was the nearest one to be targeted by the hunters searching for the magic seal for nearly 3 years now. This was only week one and massive roars had interrupted the mourning period just by the entrance on a foggy afternoon. The cloaked man was sitting in front of the burning fire where all the corpses had been burned and he took their souls, one by one, into the staff of the people of those who still had their souls that is. It was that or he took their life force in their body which left them disabled in some way or leave a disease that the man would send into their body, thus, they were sacrificed in the end because death came close once a spell was casted.  
  
The man sat in a crossed legged position with his back straightened and his staff held horizontally with both hands on each end. His soft shiny red hair lay restless on the hood and the wind was violent now when he drew the souls from the remaining bodies. It forced the trees to blow to one side; the fire's sparks flew towards his left, as did his hair and the dirt that whipped up, blending with the fog. The sudden roars continued and his eyebrow twitched in anger. He was infuriated and he broke out from the trance he was in. He stood on his feet in the tranquil village that he had created and stepped towards the entrance where his eyes filled with astonishment as he watched the beast beat its large tail against the invisible cloak that covered the village and the shield too. It seems like the white beast located the village at an instant and was trying to break in... He had looked right into its eyes and saw only one feeling, rage. This beast, he called, "Dragon", looked like a violent creature and if he could control this dragon... he would be unstoppable.  
  
He couldn't help but chuckle under his breath as he held the center of the staff in a vertical position in front of him and started to spin it around and around in a quick and swift motion so fast that the wind whipped against the staff. The skull that lied on one end started to emit a yellow light from its empty eye socket and when the cloaked man stopped, the staff was standing with the skull at top and the jaw was opened. It was completely hollow inside and it looked quite old as cracks could be seen. The yellow light started to come out through the mouth and encircle the cloaked man. It was in a spiral motion in which it rotated higher and higher till it reached above it head then shot out rapidly and unexpectedly like a bullet shot from an auto shotgun. A long hit blow that the cloaked man then, removed the shield barrier, revealing the very village, which was in a vulnerable state.  
  
When the girl had seen that barrier was removed, she pushed her goggles up onto her forehead and ordered Haku to stop. Hake immediately came to a stop and was down on the ground as the girl jumped off from his back. The cloaked man stepped out with no hesitation and stopped within 6 feet from her.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
His eyes held a passive look and she sneered. Her head cocked back and her hands at her hips.  
  
"I'm looking' for som-"  
  
"State your name"  
  
He cut in with a serious tone of voice, as he wanted to deal with no childish business. That and he wanted to possess power of the White Dragon, Haku. The girl's eyes bulged, as she couldn't realize what he just did! She demanded respect and she knew she had to get serious now.  
  
"I said, I'm looking fo-"  
  
The man glared at her.  
  
"I did not ask that... Either you tell me your name, and then state your business or leave."  
  
She had just gotten enough of this. She proceeded towards the cloaked man with one hand drew back that held a tanto in its sheath.  
  
"You don't need to know my name old man."  
  
She said in a loud and proud voice. The cloaked man realized this girl was arrogant and cocky... She refused to have manners and was just up right rude. He didn't want to take force at such an early moment... and that dragon of hers looked quite powerful. He wanted to inspect her first... See what this girl was like and all.  
  
"I am Nekura, guardian of this village."  
  
He stated. The girl winced then hissed as she took her hand away from the tanto that was attached to the back of her dark brown leather belt and rested her arms at her sides. She didn't need to attack but that was no excuse to keep her guard down.  
  
"You don't need to know, old man. Just answer my question and all goes well. No harm, no trouble, and you come out to be alive..."  
  
She remarked.  
  
Nekura remained silent. He thought bout his next action...  
  
"Good bye"  
  
He pivoted his foot, turned around and started walking off back into the village. The girl bit her lip, ran her fingers softly onto the top of her head of hair all the way to the end. She muttered something under her breath then slid her hand slowly against her left thigh, reaching into the brown small bag and pulling out two shruiken, each one between her slim soft fingers tightly held. She brought up her hand to her neck level with her wrist dangling. A slow smirk formed from her lips.  
  
"Don't you dare walk away from me ...you bastard!"  
  
Her muttering turned into a scream and she proceeded into stepping forward with her right foot with her left foot unmoved and she threw her hand in close to chest. With a quick swift outward swing, the two shruiken drew away from her fingers, spinning violently with its sharp edges aiming at Nekura's shoulder blades.  
  
Nekura had caught the glimpse pretty fast and he had seen the shruiken at the corner of his eye. As he walked, his staff was carried by his left hand and when he heard the whooshing sounds of the shruiken, he gripped tightly with his left hand. He turned around with a quick swing of the skull headed staff at the shuriken that bounced off of it and landed on the floor. After the swing, he jumped in mid air with a flying side kick that dodged the shuriken that ran was just inches away from his arm as his cloak wavered up and down from the gravity and wind that lifted it. Landing back on his two feet, his left side faced her and he had both his hands cupped onto the staff.  
  
"I loathe such imbeciles who talk trash and have no manners."  
  
A grin came to his lips.  
  
The girl's eyes narrowed to the floor and muttered a few curses under her breath. She felt her face getting red hot and she felt insulted and pissed.  
  
"I can do much better than that, ya know? I was just warming up to see how well you can do and if you want to fight, I'm not going to waste my strength and power on you, Haku here can take care of you."  
  
"I don't want to fight. If you approached me with manners and then stated your question as I said before, you wouldn't be so insulted. And what kind of a villain are you suppose to be?"  
  
He questioned her. He gestured with his eyes looking up at the sky with his hand under her chin. His lips raised on one side and down the other like a slanted line.  
  
"Is that the only way you are going to communicate with me, old m-. I mean, Nekura?"  
  
She said with an innocent voice all of a sudden. She sounded just like an innocent child...  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"I... don't know what my name is for sure. I'm known as June and I ask if you, what is your source of power. As in, does it have anything to be dealt with a magic... piece of some sort."  
  
She said in a soft voice but when she said her name, Nekura could feel some sort of history behind that. He raised his staff up to his face.  
  
"My power is natural and from a special bloodline from my father and I have been trained with such skills to gain more power as well as for other techniques... Why do you ask that?"  
  
Nekura felt like speaking to a child before ... but now she acted mature and quite moody really. One moment she was all dark and cocky, the next, she was so innocent and respectful. It was either of those or she placed up this act to get what she wanted, maybe. He didn't know what to believe.... Maybe her fighting skills or something from her childhood made her what she was today.  
  
"You don't need to know but thanks for the info."  
  
She said and turned, walking toward Haku.  
  
"How do you know that what I say is not a lie?"  
  
Nekura asked. June turned around, a smile to her lips and her eyes with a cool calm look.  
  
"That's what my senses tell me."  
  
She responded as she stepped foot onto Haku's back.  
  
"And they're pretty sharp and accurate..."  
  
Nekura said. He assumed June went through special process of training to gain that because she was human after all. Now it was all at a friendly state as if Nekura had become her ally, she'd respect him with no arguments being held in the middle.  
  
June turned to him and she had this idea that popped into mind.  
  
"Say... I sure do admire your magic... especially one that you casted on the village and the barrier, along with the idea of drawing power from the people to power yourself up, demon."  
  
Nekura didn't seem surprised. In fact, he looked like he expected it.  
  
"I knew all along you could tell through it. It's been a family tradition to place that curse on this blundering village for years and years ago. I do it for the power but sadly; my powers go to a waste if I stay here any longer... It's been on for 12 years."  
  
"We'll, if your willing to screw that family tradition, I got a position for you on our side. You'll serve pretty well and I like you already."  
  
Nekura's eyes caught onto hers.  
  
"Go on..."  
  
"Our objective, is a magical seal, an unlimited power source that any demon or human would want to possess. We must retrieve it... and all the powers will be ours. We can take and give away to others, kill them, make them disappear, it's like playing god."  
  
She said, exposing the secret power of the seal in which she wasn't suppose too, but hey, that's how she is. It was like at an instant, she just trusted him, trusted too easily...  
  
Nekura nodded his head and the madness in his eyes was flashing.  
  
"Sounds like a plan, June."  
  
(If I wanted to make this one serious fanfic, some parts at the end would have been altered, big time and replaced with some actual fighting. I thought it might have been dulled a bit so I didn't. If someone you want to see the altered ending of this chapter, I'll be glad to write it up sometime. Maybe two chapter sixes. ) 


	7. The Real World : Home Sweet Hell Gavin

Chapter 7: The Real World: Home sweet hell  
  
~~~~~Meanwhile everyone was asleep~~~~~  
  
Chihiro couldn't sleep that night. She was on her back on the hospital bed and every 15 minutes, she tossed and turned. Finally, she stopped when she lied on her right side facing the empty side of the room with a wide horizontal window that was covered with white shades. She gave a sigh and let go of her blanket. She kicked her feet out, pulling the faded blue blanket down at the end of the bed.  
  
"This is too different from home..."  
  
She muttered with her hands cupped over at her mouth.  
  
"I miss my teddy bear..."  
  
She complained again and closed her eyes tightly.  
  
"I wonder how everyone's doing.... I hope I didn't make anyone too worried about me. And did what happen... really happen? Please tell me this is all a dream!"  
  
She said once more and sat up. Sweat was formed on her forehead from tucking herself under the blanket too much since it was summer after all. She leaned toward her left where there was a small little table and two seats and grabbed a pink scented tissue as she wiped it against her forehead. Chihiro looked exhausted then as pulled her hands back down to her lap, something caught her eyes.  
  
"Not a dream.... I wonder if, the world I was in 4 years ago; did it have any effect in my own world?"  
  
On both her arms, she noticed it was wrapped in castes and on the back of her hands were little cuts. She held her arms up but she kept her hands hanging from the bone of her wrist. She leaned forward and raised one brow then stretched out her skinny legs. She looked down at her thigh, little cuts as well as on her calves.  
  
"It can't be though.... Nothing has crossed back over except for.... me, where I belong, right?"  
  
She questioned herself. Her toes wiggled then she placed her hands on her cheeks as she fell back on her back.  
  
"So many cuts! Ah!"  
  
She turned around on her tummy, pulling the blanket over her body and head once more and hid under the covers. Her complaining was muffled so no one heard her and she was pretty quiet. Chihiro cringed every time she felt the cuts on her skin. It felt odd and from the looks of it, it looked like she got into a big accident. She didn't want others to worry about her too much or cause any problems so she slipped out from her bed at 4 A.M. and when her feet touched the floor, she instantly landed on her knees.  
  
"Ow!!!"  
  
She shrieked then cupped over her own mouth as she found herself lying on the floor. She made a face that showed she was in pain and struggled with her arms to push herself up to sit down on the floor. When she did, a sharp pain ran through her arms and she cringed again. No sound. It was only her in her own quiet room and finally, she pushed herself up in a swift motion and landed on her tushie.  
  
Swinging her hands up and down, she wanted to bark out in pain but she kept it to herself.  
  
(This is harder than I thought...)  
  
"Pretty impossible for me to leave too... Hmmm, now how do I get back up?"  
  
The door creaked open and a young nurse that looked only to be 16 walked in and looked down at Chihiro.  
  
"Oh dear, sweet heart, why are you out of bed at this time? You know you should be sleeping."  
  
She said in a light sweet voice that sounded almost like a tune. The nurse bended down and looked at Chihiro, eye to eye.  
  
"We'll, I just fell out of bed ma'am."  
  
Chihiro lied.  
  
"Let me guess, a nightmare? Look at the sweat from your forehead... You poor thing"  
  
She smiled, and Chihiro slightly frowned; being treated like a little 8 year old kid wasn't exactly much fun to her. Anyhow, the nurse helped Chihiro up and tucked her back into bed wear she felt hot again. It was summer, was this nurse any odder to keep a blanket over her?  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Chihiro said innocently but inside of her head, it could have been said with A LOT of sarcasm but she didn't. She watched the nurse step out and Chihiro was back where she started. Never did she even get anywhere in her condition, maybe it was best to wait, that's the way she felt at that moment. But she was eager to find out if it had anything to do with the other world too... especially if it meant seeing Haku again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~The Day After The Incident~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gavin fluttered his eyelashes when he opened his eyes and a sharp bright light shot into his face. He shook his head from side to side and lifted his head up from the back of the old plastic chair that he slept in the waiting room of the hospital. He rubbed his eyes and glanced around. To his surprise, everyone was gone. It was only himself sitting in waiting room all alone at 7 A.M.  
  
He didn't make a comment, didn't say anything but now he thought was the time to go home. The sun was already up and more workers for the hospital arrived, some taking the place of another like for the desk clerk and the nurses that completed their night shifts.  
  
He gathered all his things together: his bag, jacket, and sunglasses, and headed straight for the door dragging his feet. His mouth felt grimy so he popped in a certs mint and continued walking. When he thought about getting home, he wondered what his old man was going to say to him. It was the awkward silence or the million of questions that would be thrown in his face all at once. His old man is different ever since Gavin's mother was gone. They distanced and never spoke much, even if Gavin tried to make an effort to talk to him, his old man, as Gavin often called him, would started another pointless argument out of no where. That gave him major migraines so he never quite looked foreword to "home sweet home" as Naomi would say.  
  
As he made his way slowly down the sidewalk, he could hear the birds chirping singly but he frowned at the fact he had to face to his old man. Right when he walked through the front door, he found the living room empty.  
  
"He's off getting drunk in depression at the bar again...?"  
  
He suggested as a thought.  
  
The empty living room was a mess.  
  
Books were scattered everywhere and the Persian mat was just plain dirty now. It was soaked with liquor and did I mention bottles of liquor were also spilled? The table had some burnt matches on top along with black ash staining the table.  
  
He shook his head in disgust and this time, instead of cleaning up as he always did right after he came home, he marched into the kitchen and holy cow... plates were flipped over and some were broken on the floor. It looks as if they had been robbed or their house was run over by a stampede. Knives were scattered everywhere and plates of food had roaches crawling all over it and crunching off pieces. He shuddered and proceeds to the next room....  
  
He walked out from the kitchen and into the living room and turned to his right where there was a long corridor and arrived at his father's room. Disgusting was the word for it.  
  
It was a total pigsty.  
  
Drawers were opened with clothes spilling out and his room reeked of 3- month-old clothing that hasn't been washed. The dresser with the mirror was cracked... and on the sites were taped photos of Gavin's mother.... Even on the little night table, there was a framed photo of her, untouched and the only things in his room that had been neat.  
  
He marched out of his father's room and walked down the corridor back as he walked in the bathroom. First thing he saw in the toilet, he made a face and he pulled down the seat quickly pushing the flush button. He kept walking and walking, hoping there was something good at the end of the hall... and there was he, his room.  
  
"Finally some place that is surprisingly clean, out of the whole house."  
  
He muttered under his breath and turned the doorknob. When the door had creaked open, he could smell the fresh air that came through the window. He sighed with relieve then walked in and threw his stuff that he carried onto the stool. Gavin then turned around and walked towards his bed, when he got near his bed, he turned around and fell on his back on the dragon-designed sheets that was neatly set on the bed. His eyes darted from side to side when he faced up to the ceiling and then he tossed his head back even more so he looked right at the window upside down.  
  
The sky was very sunny and birds had chirped happily, Gavin was even able to hear the cheerful shouts of children playing right on his black. If only things were like this for him, if only he could smile, but all he did was frown and he felt very hurt inside.  
  
A sudden slam of a door came down through the corridor. Gavin still had the door creaked open so he heard the door slam shut. Next was a constant sound of grumbling, a drunk man grumbling.  
  
"Ga.... Gavin!"  
  
He hiccupped loudly then burped.  
  
"GAVIN!!!!!!"  
  
A shout came into his ears and Gavin turned so he lied on his side. His eyes were closed and he tightened his hands into a fist. He hated his father, when he turned like this; it pissed him off to see him like this. His inner feelings would burst out every moment and each time he did, he felt like breaking into pieces inside.  
  
"Ignore...him, Gavin."  
  
He muttered with his teeth clenched.  
  
"GAVIN, Get your ASS the HELL out here and cook something for me! I'm hungry god-dammit!"  
  
His old man shouted again, this time louder that he could have sworn the floor vibrated. Gavin remained still, like a stone gargoyle that stood on the edge of a building. Heavy footsteps started to approach and the floor shook. Gavin's door suddenly flew open so fast and hard that it slammed into the side of his dresser creating a dent. A man that looked kind of bulky marched in. He stood 5'10'', dirty blonde hair that was short and reached down to the back of his neck and he stood there with a stained loose navy blue shirt.  
  
"Didn't you hear what I said, GAV?"  
  
Gavin didn't respond. Now, he had his head tucked down between his arms.  
  
"Get your lazy ass off that bed!"  
  
He shouted again at the top of lungs and finally, he really lost it. He went over to Gavin's bed, reached his thick hands towards Gavin's arm and wrapped his fingers tightly to his arm and attempted to drag him down. Gavin's eyes shot open; he lifted his feet off the bed and he tucked them in swiftly then quickly kicked them back out into his old man's stomach where he tumbled back onto his bum. Gavin sat up, glaring at him as he rubbed his arm. His father had quite a strong grip and he had inherited it. He didn't seem to have a reaction when he struck him but he looked down at him, curled up in a ball and holding his arms over his kind of flabby belly.  
  
"Don't touch me."  
  
He said in a cold tone.  
  
"You should really take care of yourself, because without me, you'd be dead."  
  
He walked off in silence, stepped over his body and walked out to the kitchen to cook some food for dinner...  
  
~~~~~~~~~Two Days Later . . .~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Get the hell out of here! "  
  
Shouting came from Gavin's home that was 12 blocks away from Chihiro's home. Gavin was just walking home from the library with Masahiro when he saw a bald headed man, around 50's, standing right in front of his home with his arms flailing over his head and shouting. Masahiro looked at Gavin who seemed motionless again every time he went home.  
  
"Dude, what's been up at your place lately?"  
  
He asked out of curiosity.  
  
"One word. Chaos."  
  
He responded. He stared into space for a moment while Masahiro just raced off towards his home deciding to see if he could be of any help. When he arrived, he waved to Gavin's father and gave a respectful greeting. Gavin's father didn't seem happy, he looked very dead and sleepy, almost like he had a hangover. Masahiro's eyes darted to the bald headed man that was the landlord.  
  
"You're HIS son?"  
  
He questioned with his old wrinkly hands under his chin and examined him.  
  
"Oh, no, I'm just a friend of his son."  
  
He retorted.  
  
"I thought so; his son must be a god-damn rebel to live with his old fool! His son is probably just as bad as his father, doing drugs, smoking weed, what all BAD teenagers do!"  
  
He shouted to Gavin's father and Masahiro whose face had a nervous cracked smile.  
  
"Uh, sir, you're wrong on that."  
  
He pointed out.  
  
"Oh come on! Don't be joking to an old man, I know how you teens are these days! There are only a few good kids these days."  
  
Masahiro bit his bottom lip and when he wanted to say another word, the landlord cut him off again then got right back on topic.  
  
"Now YOU! You BETTER PAY rent by NEXT week or your outta here, with you and your stinkin' son!!!"  
  
He marched off quickly while Gavin's father just stood there. He looked like he hadn't absorbed any info into that thick skull.  
  
"Um, sir, maybe you should get in for some rest..."  
  
Masahiro lead the way back into the home and Gavin finally approached them and followed in his hands tightly into his pockets. When they entered, Gavin's father was set on the sofa where he quickly fell in a deep sleep.  
  
It was an awkward moment. Masahiro wasn't exactly close to Gavin so he didn't know what exactly to say since he found out about the landlord complaints on the rent. His eyes glanced around and he tried not to look eye wide when he saw the condition of the house. Everything really looked like total crap. Finally, Gavin spoke.  
  
"Welcome to my "home-sweet-hell""  
  
He said sarcastically, getting up from the little stool that he sat on.  
  
"Umm... Is this how it's always been, man?"  
  
He shrugged and looked at Masahiro.  
  
"Can't say."  
  
Gavin said with his eyes narrowing to the floor and he started fidgeting with his zipper of his hoody.  
  
"Things happen, things change and if you want somewhere cleaner, my rooms the actual cleanest place from this dump."  
  
He got up and walked down the corridor.  
  
"Try to not glance in the rooms; I don't want to blind your eyes."  
  
As he said that, he continued to walk down the corridor with Masahiro following behind him. Masahiro did as he was told... but he was eager to look around and when he did, he regretted it. When he entered into the floor, his jaw dropped open and he stood a sniff, a scent of fresh air. Gavin took a seat on his bed and Masahiro sat on a stool.  
  
"So, how is your father going to pay the rent?"  
  
"My old man can't do anything; he's like a disabled simpleton child. I'll manage to get some rent by next week, through a few connections."  
  
Masahiro's eyes looked at his. He wondered how he could speak of his own father this way.  
  
"No drugs included?"  
  
Gavin shot a glare and his smirked.  
  
"Man, you know I don't do any of that crap!"  
  
Masahiro chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"Yeah...."  
  
"You doubting on me?"  
  
"Of course not, you're responsible from what I've seen I guess. But.... In the past, I must say, you were quite a short tempered boy when I passed you by on the street."  
  
Gavin for quiet and smirk faded from his face.  
  
"Past is past, so... let's leave it that way, okay?"  
  
"Right."  
  
He answered back reluctantly.  
  
"But back to the rent thingy."  
  
"What of it? I said I could handle it."  
  
Masahiro leaned forward his elbows on his knees and his hand under his face.  
  
"I'm just saying, it's only a possibility. You're only fifteen, not even at the acquired age to get a job in this area."  
  
"I'll go further."  
  
He shook his head at Gavin.  
  
"No, it's not safe."  
  
He shot at him.  
  
"I need the rent money to live here, I don't want my ass to be on the streets!"  
  
He shouted at him as he stood up and pointed out the window, on the block across the street. Masahiro sat right back up; back straightened and his head jerked back in a bit of fear.  
  
"Calm done, I'm only trying to help."  
  
His waves his hands up and down in front of him.  
  
"I don't know.... Doesn't feel right taking help from others. I got nothing to return."  
  
Gavin mumbled.  
  
"That's what friends are for..."  
  
Masahiro responded.  
  
"... I'll solve this matter tomorrow on my own and I'm not willing to take any offers from you guys, just doesn't feel right."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Everything went on awkward for the next few minutes until Gavin decide to change the topic and bringing up bout the incident at Chihiro's house. He then told his friend bout inspecting the room one more...  
  
Masahiro turned away from the computer and faced Gavin. He leaned back on the chair and glanced at him.  
  
"State your plan, my good friend."  
  
He said with an english accent and a smile on his face.  
  
"I don't have one."  
  
Masahiro nearly fell off his chair.  
  
"So how are you going to get in? Break in?"  
  
Gavin shrugged.  
  
"We'll see when we get there."  
  
"Who is we?"  
  
"Who else but my good friend, Masahiro?"  
  
Gavin said with a devious grin, a grin that always meant trouble.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~ Next Morning~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gavin woke up, finding himself on the floor with his pillow on his back.  
  
(I must have rolled out of bed again.)  
  
He pulled himself up and sat on the edge of his bed, looking out the window. Surprisingly, it was a terrible weather. The news said that tomorrow morning would be sunny with no clouds or showers; it's like the most complete opposite. Gavin had already seen the drizzling out the rain and slid over his bed, to the other side to slam the window shut before any more rain got in.  
  
He then stretched; raising his arms up into the air then cracked his neck by turning to the left pretty quickly. He cracked his knuckles, walked around his room for a while then lifted the phone, dialing Tiffany's number.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Yeah, this is Gavin, I'm looking for Tiffany."  
  
"This is she..."  
  
(I wonder why Tiffany's parents never pick up... Did I ever even meet them before, just once or saw them on the street???")  
  
"Did Masahiro tell you about it?"  
  
"Yeah, so what's the pl-"  
  
"We'll see when we get there. Go to 54 street, 15 minutes to 11"  
  
He cut her off then hung up. Tiffany shook her head, wondering why he was always so rude like that sometimes.  
  
Gavin did his daily morning things: Shower, brushing teeth and dressing up, then, right out the door! This time with a few acceptable needed items. When he walked out his room, he made his way quietly down the corridor and past his drunken old man who smelled like serious turd. He held his breath and when he opened door, he turned around to look at his old man.  
  
"Maybe things will be getting better between us..."  
  
He whispered.  
  
(I really do hope so, just clean yourself up and be like the old you, the old you that loved his family.)  
  
Gavin walked out, no smile, just walked out and determined to find something bout the incident as he made his way to 54 street.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tiffany was in her own little home. Nice and clean, and a safe neighborhood. She did what every normal person would do... we'll, some things can be done by humans! Before she knew it, she walked out her front door like any normal person and Masahiro, being the one who lived only a block from her, waited outside.  
  
"Eep!"  
  
She squealed when she walked out, seeing Masahiro's face only a few inches from hers.  
  
"How come you never fly out...?"  
  
"Because... it's strange... and yeah... You think it's cool, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Masahiro sighed and gestured for her to walk first.  
  
As they walked side by side, Masahiro spoke to her about being prepared because Gavin had some crazy ideas in his mind, he knew him we'll enough to be cautious just when you're going somewhere with him. Tiffany nodded in agreement and she hoped nothing "strange" would occur much today... From the looks of the weather, it felt unsafe, a feeling and a feeling that she needed to keep her eyes peeled open and be really aware of her surroundings.  
  
Last time the weather was like in the other world.... Trouble stirred up pretty wildly by, "Mavis", some so called assassin that was like partial demon and human. Her where abouts? Not known by Tiffany... 


	8. The Spirit World : A light in the Dark

Chapter 8: A light in the dark  
  
June was leaning against a pine tree that stood maybe about 6 feet high, looking down at her wrist watch. One heel was on the tree and the other was on the grassy ground. The long belts that were hooked to her waist belt dangled down up to her ankles as she shifted her foot back down. Her long bangs covering her face and her lips curved with a smile.  
  
"Yes, sorta. He's listening."  
  
Her answer came out from her lips at the wrist watch where Daiki's face had appeared through the small screen.  
  
"That's good news... otherwise I would have been forced to do the other alternative."  
  
"What would that be?"  
  
Daiki closed his eyes as he spoke and when June questioned his response, he gave an irritated sigh.  
  
"What did I say wrong, Dai?"  
  
(Why is this child so immature? I thought Yubaba only hired for the most powerful and mature warriors there was... She looks fragile...)  
  
June took her index finger and poked the screen. Daiki ignored her response then waved his hand at the screen.  
  
"Nothing, go do what... you're suppose to do, darling."  
  
A blush came across her face as Daiki closed off the screen and June only stood looking a pitch black screen. Her hands tightened into fists and were brought up close to her chest as her eyes closed and she smiled.  
  
"He called me Darling!"  
  
She squealed in a high pitch voice and started jumping up and down.  
  
Haku sat resting in his human form on the ground leaning against a large boulder. He sat slouching and his legs crossed as he took in heavy breaths of air. He was after all, put through hell. His face was really pale and he found hard to move a muscle. June didn't leave him with nothing though; in front of Haku was a brown bag that held one serving of sushi with salmon wrapped between the rice. His stomach grumbled at the thought of food and he wondered if it was any type of special medicine for him in it.  
  
With all the high pitch squealing, Haku didn't care to look up at June who finally stopped and fell to her knees in front of Haku. She leaned forward closer to him and had a wicked smile on her face.  
  
"Why not eat? Not hungry? There's not like any poison in it!"  
  
She said in a taunting voice.  
  
June reached in her left hand that wore a brown leather glove over it into the brown bag and pulled out the fresh box of sushi.  
  
"If you were in my place, would you eat the food your enemy offered you?"  
  
He questioned as June lifted the plastic seal off the box and took the chopsticks, split it in half and picked one up, lifting it to her lips. She brushed her hair back with her right hand and took a long sniff.  
  
"I don't think you're my enemy. It's just my job, I think of you as kind of like a doll to me. Someone I control over."  
  
She responded back in a cheerful voice with no sarcasm and looked at him.  
  
"You're missing out on some good stuff here!"  
  
Squealing again, she put the sushi into her mouth and chewed on it then swallowed.  
  
Nekura made his way towards the two, in one hand holding the staff that he used to bat away the extra branches that stood in his path. He kicked any stones that stood in his way and swung his staff from side to side until he stood only 2 feet away from June.  
  
Nekura had no longer been wearing his cloak after he abandoned the village, leaving them in freedom and poverty when the eternal sleep would wear off. Instead, he wore a heavy white trench coat where the collar was nicely outlined with gray on the edges and went all the way down to the bottom. Around his neck, a large thick gray fabric was resting on his neck and streamed downwards up to waist level.  
  
As the wind blew past his tanned face, it lifted the end of the trench coat up into thin air as the wind ran through it and revealed what he worn under. He black shirt that had the words painted on what looked to be blood, "Death". Two brown belts were wrapped around his stomach and on each belt, there was a small pocket holding a scroll. His pants were plain faded dark navy blue color and he looked like he had no other weapons other than his staff.  
  
June remained crouching and eating in front of Haku. Finally, Nekura lifted a brow with a vexed look on his tanned face. He took the end of his staff and tapped her on the shoulder. Too bad he didn't say anything... Haku's eyes lifted up to Nekura and he glanced at June.  
  
"W-what is it? What's behind me? Is it a Gremlin? A monkey!? Or is it Dai!!!?"  
  
She squealed to Haku who was kind of scared off by the way she acting. A large anime sweat drop came to his head and he nervously chuckled. June seemed nice enough and different so maybe if he could befriend her? Words finally came from Haku.  
  
"Just turn around and see."  
  
He said as he hesitated to lift a sushi between his two fingers and took a bite.  
  
Chewed for a moment. Nothing was wrong, guess she really was kind of nice.  
  
She turned around, looked up to see a Nekura annoyed and looking down at her. Probably wondering what she was doing with the so called prisoner. She jumped to her feet and stood straight up.  
  
"Oh you're back so soon and what a nice get-up!"  
  
She complimented as Nekura felt uneasy and took a step back. He cleared his throat then spoke.  
  
"I'm prepared now so when we do take off?"  
  
"Take off? My clothes?"  
  
Haku couldn't help but chuckle with his mouth full of sushi quietly as he watched them.  
  
"Don't play with stupid with me before I kill you."  
  
The chuckling stopped and June's sly smile faded from her face that turned a bit pale. She scrunched her nose and stomped down on foot as she held her hands to her hips. Her eyes showed some seriousness and the tranquility snapped in to pieces of grain.  
  
"We move by sunset and don't you dare threaten me."  
  
She marked as she made his way around him. Her eyes leered at him and sent a telepathic message.  
  
(Because you'll be the one to die first in a battle)  
  
(Not if you stay the way you are)  
  
He sent a telepathic message back with his lips to a grin and he ignored a glance at Haku as he kicked the box of sushi at Haku. It was sent flying to his face and his clothes that were now not just covered in dirt. Haku clenched his teeth together and his hands into balls of fists as he jumped at him with his last spite of energy that he still had. Nekura lifted his staff and poked it into his chest to knock him back down. He forced Haku down against the stone and looked down at him.  
  
Haku lifted his two hands to the grab the staff and slowly, his hands were turning into the dragon claws as he scarred off the wood from the sides. Nekura jerked the staff back but next thing you know, Haku turned into the dragon form as he snapped his large jaw onto the end of the staff and put on a little tug of war game as he snapped the end of the wood off. Haku whipped out his tail, almost like a leg sweep, putting Nekura off to his feet.  
  
"So you're that stupid dragon!"  
  
Haku backed off and remained down on the ground where he growled quietly, revealing his sharp teeth at him.  
  
"... Get the hell away from me. You got no business with me so stop trying to start something. You'll lose anyway."  
  
Haku barked out, slowly as the form faded, putting himself back to a human.  
  
".... You'll be killed; I have no use for you. Mark my words."  
  
He said as he walked off in utter silence.  
  
(You're not even the one in command.)  
  
Haku thought.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night, he was left sleeping in the forest again and he knew he was being closely watched, just didn't know by what. He sat quietly, leaning against the boulder and trying to fall asleep. The crickets cricked and the night owls hooted through the night. When he looked up, all he was were branches of tree that covered the moonlight, not letting it shine upon him. He saw no light... and placed his hand over his chest.  
  
No surprise.  
  
No heart beat.  
  
He felt real lost.... No one would help him and even if they wanted too, how? Even if he felt sad, he couldn't shed tears but only may he express madness. He was a doll, June's little string puppet, tomorrow when they would enter into the real world, where Chihiro is.  
  
"Chihiro..."  
  
The words came from his mouth.  
  
"Who is that...?"  
  
He started to question. With his heart and soul fading quickly, her name faded from his heart too...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~The Next Morning~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Haku slept on the ground as usual and woke up dirty and smelly with a pair of feet before him; black leather high heels together and a shadow that covered his back along with a dark figure that stood before him. He woke up with a groan and June casted a look upon him. She had knelt down to one knee, fixing the boy up, dusting off any marks on his face and wrapping some ace bands around his wrists and ankles where it was mostly sore.  
  
"That sin committing man, I hope he goes straight to hell. He can't even spare one bit of kindness to a lady."  
  
She grumbled under her breath as Haku looked at her with his eyes half open. A luminous light had shot into his eyes and he realized it wasn't the sun; it was coming from June's hand. The light was intensive and he held his hand flat and placed it over his eyes.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
He asked backing away from her.  
  
She leaned forward and grabbed a hold of his wrist and drew him back in. She placed her index finger in front of her lips for a gesture to keep quite. Haku glanced around and realized the sun was barely even up yet.  
  
"You know you have a terrible stench on you, right?"  
  
She snapped at him, cupping her hand around his wrist tightly.  
  
"Yes, but what are you goin-"  
  
Before he finished, she dragged him by the arm off the ground.  
  
"You're going to freshen up, kiddo. I can't travel with someone like you, you smell like crap."  
  
"But you never did it before when we went to the other villages."  
  
"That's because this is out of this WORLD, another world."  
  
"Okay... but I don't see a difference and why are you being so nice to me? Aren't you supposed to be a very evil villain that... does really bad things?"  
  
Haku questioned and with that said, it ended with a light chuckle.  
  
"Because.... Because..."  
  
She repeated in a whisper and couldn't get the words out of her mouth. Her eye brows arched downwards and she retorted the following line.  
  
"A kid like you doesn't have to know now... come on before the sun really comes up and then we need to get going!"  
  
Before he knew it, Haku found himself running away with June to her hotel. As they ran, the leaves of wind whipped up and down in a spiral motion that made its way up towards about 6 feet and less. The image blurred and then a hand reached out, palm faced up holding onto a white orb that glowed intensively. Slowly, the body of Nekura was revealed with his raging red hair flowing behind him. His eyebrow arched downward and he widened his eyes into madness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Haku was in his old dirt stained clothes (after his shower) and down on his knees in front of a nicely decorated table that had a picture of a dragon inscribed into the surface with a face of a maiden was pressed closely to the dragon with her arms wrapped around him, filled with plates of food. He stared blankly into at the table of food, recalling that memory but it was so faded that he just spaced out. June stood straight up with a perfect posture and her arms hanging freely at her sides. Finally, she cracked, she didn't want to be caught for doing this but she felt like she needed too before they went to the real world and out of the spirit one.  
  
"Haku"  
  
She whispered through her lips as she jabbed her finger into the side of his head. He cringed and jerked back, landing on his tushie and shaking his head from side to side.  
  
"Ow, what is it?"  
  
He responded with a calm tone of voice. A calm voice, something new that came from him, compared to what the workers at the bathhouse said about Master Haku, she thought he was someone like Daiki or near. Haku seemed tensed though when he responded, like a forced response, something she wanted to hear. She wasn't sure but now wasn't the time to think about that.  
  
She pointed to the window where Haku looked out. The sun gleamed in and she looked at him without a word.  
  
"It's almost time, aren't you glad to travel out from this spirit world?"  
  
She urged and scratched the side of her neck.  
  
"Sure, I guess."  
  
He responded with an uneasy tone. June sensed the tenseness from him when he said that, it was like he was starting to forget who he was.  
  
June then shrugged as Haku walked himself out the door.  
  
(I guess he's starting to forget about that girl.., that girl that left the bathhouse. She must have been very special to him... I pity him that he's going to forget her... Forget his whole life, his past, especially her. Maybe... I'll do it later, sorry Master Dai but, it's hard.)  
  
The words ran through her mind as she stepped out as well, finding Nekura waiting for her with his well toned armed placed over her shoulder.  
  
"Where have you been all this time, June?"  
  
He asked in a dominated tone as June could sense this... aura from him. His eyes darted at Haku who looked, clean and he looked better than yesterday, full of more energy. He could tell that June had done him some good and that this "leader" had feelings after all, even if it was for the wrong side. June shoved him away immediately and drew her dragger swiftly within a blink of an eye and next thing Nekura knew, it was at his throat and June's eyes became sharp.  
  
"We're leaving now."  
  
She stated in a serious tone.  
  
Nekura didn't finch.  
  
"If you keep that sharp and keen attitude, maybe people like me, wouldn't look down at you so much and why, why would you help Haku? He's our enemy."  
  
He responded as he cupped his hand around her wrist and twisted her arm back where June was locked closely to Nekura, leaning against his chest. She became silent to his words and her heart beated wondering what Dai would think if he had heard.  
  
"Withdraw that and open the portal"  
  
He commanded and as he loosened the grip of June who elbowed him away.  
  
"You're right...."  
  
She hissed, being honest, and sheathing the dagger. Without another word from anyone, she held out her right hand where a black net wrapped around her forearm made out of dark energy, made its way to her enclosed palm. The dark light emitted from her hand and become larger at the second. She took a step back, and swung out her right arm, opening her palm that shot out a long beam of laser in the mid air. The energy swirled in a circular motion as June nodded her head for them to proceed into the dark portal that sparked out black electricity, out of the Spirit World and into... the Real World.  
  
(Just so the readers know, the next chapter will be delayed till around May's first week due to a lot of testing and project, I barely have any more free time anymore __) 


	9. The unexpected gathering at Chihiro’s ho...

Chapter 9: The unexpected gathering at Chihiro's home  
  
By the time they were on the corner of the block, Gavin had not been present.  
  
Tiffany stood straight right next Masahiro in blue faded khakis with a pink tee-shirt that had the words written on it, "Daddy's little girl". She had worn a name plate belt that also had letters written, "Tiff" in the center of the buckle that was wrapped around her waist. Her hair tied into two pony tails on one side of the head and a few bangs hung over her eyes. Tiffany wiggled her fingers as each second passed and she started doing a lot of gestures, ones including like her eyes darting up and down, twiddling her thumbs, and tapping her foot. Masahiro was getting annoyed with that somewhat...  
  
"Why did we come here so ea-"  
  
Before she finished, a sound of screeching tires came from behind them. Both of their heads turned to see what it was about and it was Gavin... walking over on top of a car that stopped abruptly as it was about to hit Gavin who crossed on a green light.  
  
The window reeled down and a man stuck out his hand and made a middle finger at Gavin's back when he hopped off the roof just as the car's tires screeched off and away from their view as tire marks had been left in the middle of the road. He acted so casual with his hands in the pocket of his hooded shirt.  
  
"Is that guy even human?"  
  
Tiffany said with a sweat drop on her head and pointed at Gavin.  
  
"I don't know... He's been in a lot of life and death situations and he's gotten out of all of em alive, how does he do it?"  
  
Masahiro responded back as he walked forward Gavin, giving him a high-five.  
  
Gavin approached Masahiro first and returned the high-five. He looked at Masahiro then looked at Tiffany and nodded.  
  
"Let's get going."  
  
~~~~~~~~~Chihiro's Home~~~~~~~~~  
  
They made their way to Chihiro's house on the gray dull day which seemed to take forever. There was no wind at the moment and the neighborhood had been dead empty.  
  
The house was large and it looked to have at least 2 floors. The house was painted a light gentle sky blue and the door was a lighter shade of the blue. A welcome mat that said, "Welcome Home", laid on the doorstep along with a few decorative welcomes had been pinned onto the door.  
  
First thing Tiffany did was approach the front door and lifted her hand up to ring the door bell when...  
  
"Hey hey hey, what the hell do you think your doing?"  
  
Gavin leapt after her with the chain hanging out from his baggy shorts and jingling. He snapped at her and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her away from the door. Masahiro couldn't help but snicker as Tiffany went back to standing beside Masahiro with a confused look.  
  
"You have to watch the mastermind work, Tiff."  
  
He said pointing at Gavin who backed away from the door and let go of Tiffany. She rubbed her fingers around her wrist in pain as she realized the grip of Gavin. She backed away with an intent look. Gavin seemed cocky at this time and he walked to the side of the house in silence, not even sparing an apology to Tiffany even when she gestured that she was in a bit of pain. Tiffany scoffed and placed her hands to her hips, blowing the bangs out from her eyes and her eyes followed Gavin as he moved, step by step. Gavin made his way forward till he reached the fence that lined in front him, which was at least 6 feet tall. Masahiro ran after Gavin who Tiffany followed behind watched as Gavin easily leaped over the fence by backing away from the fence then running it as a quick speed. Gavin jumped then drew his right foot on the side of the house and kicked out away from the wall, as his left foot quickly touched the fence and he made a grab for the top of the fence. At this point, Gavin started to struggle a bit as he pulled his lower body up and hopped down to the other side.  
  
Tiffany gave a weak clap of sarcasm with her head a bit skewed. Masahiro, as usual, commented on how Gavin was skilled such things. Gavin ignored Masahiro's comment as he shook his head from side to side with his index finger on his forehead and had a smirk on his face.  
  
"Is that such a big deal? Geez, Masa! Stop making it seem like he's a pro at everything."  
  
She said in an irritated voice and back away from the fence. She then raced off towards the fence, jumped high enough that her hands already grabbed hold of the top and pulled herself over, landing on her feet right beside Gavin. He gave a smile at her and a thumb up.  
  
"You're on track?"  
  
"2 year champion."  
  
Tiffany responded confidently as to it was a lie; she just picked up a false story for covering reasons.  
  
"Pretty impressive."  
  
Gavin responded then cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted to the other side.  
  
"Get over here, Masa, we don't have all day. If you can't climb over, be ready for lookout like usual!"  
  
Before Masahiro responded, knowing Masahiro couldn't climb over; Gavin took off with Tiffany and walked till he reached the back of the house.  
  
"What do you mean as usual? So you've done it before? You've BROKE into people's homes!? Oh my-"  
  
Gavin squinted his eyes and whispered, "Shut up shut up" quietly. He knew Tiffany wouldn't stop so he turned and cupped his hand over her mouth and pushed her onto the side of the house.  
  
"Could you shut up for just one moment so I can think? God, girls talk so much."  
  
He said in a low serious voice as his eyes shot into eyes. The moment Tiffany looked into his eyes, she cringed a bit and stared back, staring back, she saw melancholy and darkness. Gavin's eyes became fired and when he had looked at Tiffany, his eyes widened, realizing that he saw fear in a return of her eyes. His eyes softened and he jerked his hand back away from her. Rubbing his temples, he turned away from her.  
  
"Um, I understand. Let's get going."  
  
She said swallowing and backing away from the house. She looked at Gavin whom was half crouching and coughed.  
  
"Right, we still don't have all day."  
  
Gavin said as he raced off to the back of the house.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Well well well... Who'd knew I'd bump into you again, Tandra."  
  
Two blood red eyes peered down at the two running to the back of the house. Mavis stood on the roof top with her two pairs of steel metal claws worn over her soft and tender human form hands. Mavis stood 5'5'' with long silver metallic hair that was shoulder length and held a deadly expression on her face. She was quite the pale one and quite the demon assassin. Her lips curved her deadly grin as she licked her fangs with her tongue and chuckled to herself.  
  
"And looks like you're guarding my kill, dear. Looks like you're going to have to die too."  
  
Mavis' body slowly became transparent then dark energy emitted from her body as her body slowly turned into a shadow that seeped into the rooftop ground and entered into the home; a shadow that stalked her prey that would die soon.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A giant portal flashed open in Chihiro's parent's room that was quite large. The darkness swirled around and around until Nekura leapt out, landing gently on the white carpeted room. June came out after him and Haku as well.  
  
"Take a good luck around."  
  
June whispered in a dry voice, somewhat hating what she was about to do. Nekura stood there, dead silent and indeed, he was irritated the fact he had to see such a sappy moment.  
  
Haku's eyes darted around the room then came to a stop when he had seen family photos of Chihiro with her family. Haku's memory was faint and walked over to the red oak dresser, lifting up the framed photo of Chihiro. He lifted it up to his face and gazed at it. He then stopped and looked up at the ceiling trying to recall who this girl was. Minutes passed and he didn't know who she was. Haku's forehead wrinkled and ran his fingers against the glass that was protecting the photo.  
  
"Sen..."  
  
Images back from the Spirit World came haunting back.  
  
"This is Sen..."  
  
He turned around and looked at June who sat on the velvet colored bed sheets with her hands clasped together on her lap.  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
Haku dared to ask her. June's eyes became passive and she shrugged. June rapidly recalled the first conversation she had face to face with Yubaba that she had not told anyone. Apparently, due to the reason that when Chihiro left, everyone wanted their freedom and soon, once every two days, she found 6 workers that pleaded for freedom and 11 others who abruptly attacked her because of the face she said no, they couldn't leave without knowing their real name and even if they did, she wanted them to stay and serve under her. June understood all that Yubaba told her but what was the point? Finally, Yubaba stated her request, "I want this lump of stupid coal, dead. She's ruined everything I've ever built and made! Kill her, June, kill her and bring back my seal!"  
  
She became silent as her thought finished and she looked at Haku.  
  
"This is the one, you're going to kill, the one who holds what we're looking for."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
June got off the bed and walked past Nekura who stood in the dark shadows. Nekura's eyes glared at her and he sent a telepathic message.  
  
(You pity him, how nice. You need to stop all of this child's play and do what you're supposed to do without delay, missy. Now please, do it.)  
  
June had nodded and approached Haku from behind. Her eyes flashed a light as she stared blankly and placed her right over from behind over Haku's shoulder. She brought him closer to herself and she could feel the warmth coming from this boy, full of warmth and no darkness.... She pushed her cheek against his and whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
June uncurled her fingers in her right hand and cupped it to the side of Haku's shoulder. She closed her eyes tightly as red and black energy flashed brightly in the dimmed room from her hand. A black dot was imprinted into the floor in front of Haku as it made its way around in a circle as it met back where it started. Then it rised up from the floor straight till it was about head level and penetrated into Haku's skin at the forehead. Haku stood motionless, not resisting as his eyes peeled opened wide. For a moment, his eyes flashed blank white as the darkness entered into his mind. June's hand clutched tighter and tighter as blood started to drip from his shoulder. It wasn't normal colored blood, it was black blood. Haku's whole body started to levitated just a few inches off the floor then he was back on his feet as he dropped down to his knees once the light had died down. June drew herself away and clutched her right hand tightly with her other.  
  
"It's done."  
  
June said as she rubbed the burnt mark on top of the scripture written into her flesh. She had her teeth gritted because of the fact Daiki never told her there were any effects on the person who placed on the control so Haku would altar and be fit for the darkness. But none the less, June couldn't help but smile at the fact Daiki chosen her to do the job, perhaps he had taken a liking to her as well, he saw she was powerful or at least had the potential.  
  
Nekura stepped out from the shadows and approached Haku who had been on his knees, gasping for air. Nekura had placed his hand on the kid's shoulder but shockingly, Haku turned around and his eyes screamed with agony and hatred. He thrusted his hand forward onto Nekura's face and pushed him over to the side. Nekura caught himself swiftly back on his feet as Haku leapt up from the ground and backed away with his feet spread out parallel from each other. His back slightly leaning forward and his left hand held at stomach level where his right hand was a few inches above. Haku's eyes were burning with flames and Nekura cackled loudly.  
  
"Looks like we've got us a more powerful and obedient fighter before us, June."  
  
June couldn't help but rub her eyes for the remaining moment when she looked at Haku and she knew now, that he was different. He had no heart, no memory and that he would become one cold blooded killer. The real fun, was about to begin and June, she knew, she must not hold anything back.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
"So how do we go about this? The lowest window is... there."  
  
Tiffany said as she pointed upwards to the second floor. Gavin tilted his head back and looked up at the window of Chihiro's bed room. He recognized it because of the fact there was a crack in the glass. He blanked out for a moment without knowing it and he saw something move from the window. Tiffany ran and stopped beside him, looking up.  
  
"I saw something moving in Chihiro's bed room window just now."  
  
Gavin said.  
  
"A shadow?"  
  
"Yeah... It was bigger than usual though, couldn't be Chihiro's killer cat."  
  
"You even made a name for Misuira? Don't you think that's kind of cold? I mean, Killer cat."  
  
Gavin turned away from the view of the window and began to climb the tall tree that was 2 feet behind him.  
  
"Nope and that name fits him. He's a cat that likes to pry on things. I'm sure of what I saw. And don't you dare."  
  
He grunted as he climbed up the tree.  
  
"Think that I would hurt Chihiro. I'd never."  
  
He almost reached the top.  
  
"Ever hurt her."  
  
He grabbed onto the nearest thick branch and swung his legs to another branch under it so he would be able to stand and walk at the same time.  
  
"O-kay, I believe ya..."  
  
Tiffany mumbled as she watched Gavin make his way to the end of the branch. Tiffany paced around the grassy backyard and then came to a pause.  
  
"Are you stuck?"  
  
"Do you have a better way of getting up?"  
  
He retorted back at her.  
  
"The back door."  
  
"The back door?"  
  
"The back door... has an opening at the bottom. Maybe it's opened too..."  
  
"That's where Misuira enters. I'm not a friggin' animal. And what are the chances of that?"  
  
Gavin said pulling himself up to one the one thick branch that he was holding. He sat on it with the branch between his legs and he bent down forward, carefully so he wouldn't slip.  
  
(You always have to take the hard way.)  
  
Tiffany thought in her head and walked towards the backdoor and peaked through the clear glass. Her eyes scanned inside and it looked like it had lead to the kitchen. Her eyes beamed over at Gavin, seeing he was distracted, she gradually grabbed the door knob and begin twisting it clockwise and as predicted, it was locked. She leaned at the door with her hand still on the knob as electricity cackled, slowly forcing the metal lock inside of the home to slide open. Tiffany pushed open the door and smiled.  
  
"Gavin, it's open."  
  
He's jaw dropped opened and he raised a brow, shaking his head from side to side.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Serious as you could break your neck if you don't come down from there."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Once Gavin and Tiffany entered the home, first thing he wanted to do was retrace his steps from few days ago. He darted at the living room, forgetting to tip toe as Tiffany observed the furniture in each room. Gavin started to talk to himself, remembering every exact detail then something hit him. He recalled back that he had seen a moving shadow upstairs in Chihiro's room and the fact he forgot to tip toe. He hit himself on the forehead lightly with the back of his hand and made "pssst" noises towards Tiffany who was observing the china cabinet.  
  
"The shadow, I'm going up stairs to check."  
  
Tiffany, without looking at him, waved her hand up and down in agreement and a signal for him to go on right ahead.  
  
"You're pretty jumpy.... And you might want to stop making such heavy footsteps."  
  
She said making quick eye contact with him.  
  
Gavin held out his thumb and index fingers, pointing at Tiffany and moved turned his hand from left to right.  
  
"Right right... forgot."  
  
(She's right; I am sort of jumpy...)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Nekura walked around Chihiro's room, inspecting every thing she had present in her room. He had seen a lot of things... A poster from Yu-Gi-Oh of Marik and a wall scroll next to that of Seto Kaiba, which was quite a popular show. Her dresser had a large mirror and a bunch of photo's taped on the edge of her friends. Perfume bottles, Chap Stick, all the things a regular girl needed. And a pile books had been spread out on the floor. Nekura carefully moved no object as he moved around the room but his senses were peeled open to any strong sense of power that resided near the room or in.  
  
"Nothing.... What is this trash...?"  
  
He picked up one of the text books and flipped through it.  
  
"There are two types of measurement applied to earthquakes: magnitude and intensity scales. Scales of intensity, such as Mercalli scales are based upon the reports of people who experienced the earthquake and observed the amount of destruction... What the hell..."  
  
He flipped the text book to the cover.  
  
"Earth Science Review Book."  
  
He read and threw it back down.  
  
"What boring trash this world has to learn..."  
  
He grumbled. Nekura then turned around glared at the door. He stood their in dead silence and he was right. He heard footsteps of someone behind the door, tip toeing up the very stairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
(Chihiro's room... where's her room?)  
  
Gavin glanced around and he had been as quiet as he can be that no normal human would be able to hear him. As he made his way to the top of the stairs, it was utter darkness and hard to see. Gavin squinted and made out least 5 doors. Each door had no lights opened at bottom of the crevice and since Gavin had never been at Chihiro's home much, he never remembered which her room was.  
  
He crouched as he moved.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
(I smell someone here. He's weak... Let Haku take care of him.)  
  
Nekura sent a telepathic message to June.  
  
(Understood)  
  
June send telepathic a message back. She turned to Haku who was standing so stiff and quiet; it was like he wasn't there. Haku looked the same and he didn't look one bit evil. It was like he didn't let it out or it was just the way that the control worked. Haku however, was obedient and he did all he was told, she knew for a fact, that the control would be effective since it was a power from Yubaba.  
  
June rocked back and forth on the bed with her boots down on white carpet. She gave a heavy sigh. Quietly, she made her way towards the door and kneeled down. Slowly, she pulled it open without making one sound and peered through the crevice of the door and down the corridor where she spotted a moving shadow.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tiffany was still downstairs, looking around when a metal claw touched her shoulder. She jumped, turned around and surprised; she saw two red flashing eyes that caused her to stumble down to the floor.  
  
Looking down at here, the woman walked out from the shadows. Tiffany panted from the scare she had and realized whom she was looking at.  
  
"Hello Tandra."  
  
The voice hissed.  
  
"M-mavis!?"  
  
"Yes, long time no see since our last debut. But that's the past, right now; you should be up stairs... You're friend is in a bit of trouble."  
  
Mavis said in a cold voice as her boy once more became a shadow and slipped away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Home, sweet home."  
  
Chihiro read from her welcome mat she reached into her bag, struggling to find her keys. She pulled her hand out and shook the bag. She heard the jingling from her keys and finally, she found em.  
  
"Gotcha."  
  
She whispered with a smile. She selected a silver key that lead to the front door and pushed it into the hole, turning to the right once then again and turned the doorknob.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Masahiro said from behind.  
  
"Hiya!"  
  
Chihiro said happily.  
  
"Um, why are you out of the hospital so early?"  
  
"Oh... the injuries weren't that serious... Just minor cuts and I'm a fast healer. The nurse even said it was okay for me to go home today so here I am. I missed everyone so I wanted to get back as soon as possible! So here I am. How is everyone?"  
  
Chihiro asked as she pushed the front door open. Masahiro darted in front of her, blocking her way with a smile.  
  
"Everyone? Oh they're fine and now that you're better, things are definitely well."  
  
"Is Gavin alright? He seemed kind of odd last time he came to visit."  
  
"He's alright, as usual, the usual him."  
  
Masahiro said as he placed his arm over her shoulder and moved her away from the door.  
  
"Um... want to take a walk around the neighborhood since you just got back?"  
  
Chihiro smiled and patted on his hand.  
  
"The weather looks like it going to rain so how bout you come inside and we can talk a bit, eh?"  
  
"Oh uh..."  
  
Chihiro pulled herself away and opened the door where she flicked the light on.  
  
"Come on, you live quite far anyway!"  
  
She said cheerfully. Masahiro walked in her home where he was relived, Gavin and Tiffany were not there.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gavin saw the lights go on at the bottom of the stair case and he hid himself in the shadows. As Masahiro and Chihiro spoke, he heard Chihiro's voice from the shadows and smiled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We had a lot of fun hanging out."  
  
Masahiro said as he and Chihiro had a brief conversation.  
  
Chihiro stood up from the sofa, stretched and sighed.  
  
"We'll... Now that I'm a bit updated, I'm going to go upstairs. I missed my old room because all I was stuck with was the hospital rooms, blah."  
  
Masahiro nodded his head and had forgotten his duty...  
  
Chihiro quickly ran upstairs in her slippers and when she reached the top, Gavin selected a random a door that happened to be her room and closed the door shut.  
  
(Wow, I'm lucky and looks like no one was here. Maybe I was seeing things...)  
  
Gavin then saw the doorknob turned as he ran and rolled under the bed.  
  
"I miss the smell in my room... I miss everything."  
  
Chihiro said happily as she jumped on her bed and lied down, curling her finger on a strand of hair. She sat back up and grabbed her blanket, hugging it tightly to her chest. She then grabbed her teddy bear and hugged it tightly as well. Suddenly, she felt a breeze from behind her. She turned around to see the window wide open as sudden drizzling came down.  
  
"How'd that get opened..."  
  
She questioned as she closed the window tightly shut then walked over to the dresser as her eyes scanned the photos...  
  
The doorknob suddenly turned.  
  
"Masahiro, you can come in if you want, no use in scaring me like you use too!"  
  
She said without hesitation. The door then swung open as a cold chill of wind ran by Chihiro's cheeks. She had sat on the chair and was going through her photo album of pictures of her friends from school since it had been summer, she forgot what some of the not so closed friends looked like. She shuddered and that's when she turned around to see where the cold air was coming from. And in the door way, Chihiro thought she was seeing into a dream.  
  
"H-haku....!?" 


	10. Against my will, I can never remember

Chapter 10: Against my will, I can never remember  
  
(Haku...)  
  
The named flashed in her head. His eyes beamed her with a soft gentle look. Chihiro stood there, dead silent, as her eyes widened in surprise from looking at the Haku whose clothing was white as always like the pureness of an angel. Haku slowly made his way towards her. Time felt like it had lagged and slowed down and Chihiro's heart pumped rapidly. She kept her eyes on him, not able to force a word out of herself yet. Her mind stirred, recalling back exactly four years ago when she traveled to the Spirit World and met Haku, the one she felt she loved. She thought she would leave with him but he didn't go. He didn't want too. No, he couldn't leave.  
  
The promise from four years ago that Haku made, saying that he would come back soon. He never said how soon but four years has been too long. Her feelings have been suppressed for so long, they faded.  
  
But there goes a saying, when you love someone; you can never really stop loving them because your feelings never really fade since a little part is always remaining in your heart as a memory.  
  
Chihiro swallowed hard as she looked at who stood before her. He had grown a few inches and she herself did too but he was still taller. She had to lift her chin up and look at him; his same soft facial expression that she loved faced her. Then her lips trembled.  
  
"How can you..."  
  
She sniffed as crystal tears started to roll down her cheeks. Her hands felt a sudden weak and shook a bit. She looked down at the floor. It was just the two of them, the two of them in her room. She was alone, alone with Haku where she could talk to him. Tell him how she feels. Tell him how much she missed him. No, she hesitated and thought back.  
  
(Haku said he'd come to see me but after so long.... I don't feel that way. I really did miss him and I was tearing up inside when I left... What should I say?)  
  
"...come back after so long?"  
  
The words came out quietly between her lips and she kept her eyes down. Her fingers from her right hand opened up and stretched out then tightly touched side by side as she slowly lifted her hand up.  
  
Her hand slapped against Haku's face and she cried, placing her hands on his chest and cried. Her heart released those memories and feelings that she held for a long time, never letting them out, until now.  
  
"You don't know how much I missed you. I worried about you. I never forgot about you. Since the day I left the Spirit World, I never forgot you, I promised myself I wouldn't and I didn't!"  
  
Her cries came in muffled against Haku's chest. She hugged him tightly and Haku stood there. He slowly brought his arms up to her waist and wrapped it around her. Chihiro was brought close to Haku where he hugged her tightly back as she cried. Chihiro's fingers wrapped around the fabric of her Haku's shirt and she was close to clawing at his skin. She cringed and stayed there for the remaining time as the door was left opened and the cold chill of air surrounded.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your sorrow... I didn't mean it."  
  
His voice sounded a bit hurt and she knew it was him then on. It is him; she knew it without a doubt. But he didn't get emotional but it sounded like he was trying too and when she lifted her head up to look at him, his eyes were still and cold but it looked as if he tried to show emotion. Her mind flowed away into space, into the tranquil area where she felt like she's released the pain, she felt like this is the end, she's found him. Haku's with her now and she's happy.  
  
"I know you didn't mean it but I'd glad you're here!"  
  
Chihiro was so out of daze from being held in Haku's arms, she didn't feel the coldness from his body that emitted strongly.  
  
Gavin was standing near doorway from outside where he peeked in. He saw a boy that was around his age with his arms around Chihiro and he had heard everything that just happened. He felt frozen and he kept his fists tightened at his sides. He was kneeling down in the corridor that was pitch black then he sighed and pushed his fist hard into the wall. He turned around and sat against it where he brought his knees up to chest and his face down where his forehead touched his knees.  
  
(She has him...)  
  
"But now this comes to question...who is he and how did he get in?"  
  
(This is so great... He's back with me. He's back home.)  
  
Chihiro's tears stopped and she kept close to him. But then she realized something. Her head was against his chest and so where her hands. Goosebumps ran down her arms as her eyes gave an odd look of bewilder.  
  
There was no heart beat.  
  
She was positive.  
  
(There's no heart beat...? Is he dead?)  
  
She sniffed and then slowly moved her hands down, running her fingers gently against Haku's arms.  
  
(He's so cold...)  
  
Haku's eyes were closed and he kept a passive look. He peeked open when he felt her fingers against his skin. Haku recalled back, he had his heart taken away.  
  
Chihiro lifted her head up at him and looked him into the eyes where she saw stillness. She cupped his wrists and drew herself back away him where her voice cracked.  
  
"You're so cold, Haku... What happened to you?"  
  
(Who are you...?)  
  
(Who am I?)  
  
The words echoed in his head but he just looked at her blankly like she said nothing. He had ignored her question. He shook his head in annoyance as he had forgotten her name. He didn't recognize her anymore, maybe forever. He just stood there as he could see tears rolling down her cheeks again.  
  
(Why are her eyes filled with water?)  
  
"Answer me, Haku."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
He responded in a tone of emptiness.  
  
"What do you mean, you don't know!?"  
  
She had to shout from anger. She couldn't believe it. Haku doesn't remember her. He doesn't remember about the past but he did just a while ago.... What's going on?  
  
"Stop it."  
  
Again, the same empty voice. Haku looked baffled for the only emotion he was allowed to feel was anger. Anger, there was a lot held inside of him but he couldn't control it. He didn't want to force it out on her but he did.  
  
Chihiro's eyes widened and she shook her head.  
  
"Why are you being like this Haku? Why are you being so cruel?"  
  
Gavin then heard Chihiro sobbing again. But this time, it wasn't tears from happiness. He turned around and looked in. He blinked a few times then he started seeing a flash of red emitting from the back of his neck. Slowly, it raved down at his clothes where the pure white turned into darkness. On Haku's arms, there were a few cuts, some that seemed minor and some that left large scars. He couldn't really believe what he was seeing. Was magic actually real?  
  
(Now's the time to do the deed, June.)  
  
(Yeah, I know so can you shut up?)  
  
(... Why did you do this? Why not just have Haku catch the girl immediately? This is a waste of time!)  
  
(He should have one last time to see her.)  
  
(You're too much of a kind person, June, too kind.)  
  
June snarled at Nekura through the telepathic message. June was in the shadows, watching the moment between them and her eyes looked a little watery. She bit her tongue gently between her teeth and mumbled a short incantation spell.  
  
Once Haku's clothes were fully black before Chihiro's eyes, he was forced to cringe and he fell down to knees where his hand grabbed himself tightly at his own chest, the area where his heart should have been present. His hair started to lift up and down from the cold air that chilled the room and he looked at Chihiro. His eyes were filled with tears now he was in agony and pain. He reached out his free hand at Chihiro while he was on the floor as if he pleaded for help. Chihiro looked at him and slowly, the dark abyss opened up from below Haku where the death omen crawled out from the darkness.  
  
The death omen's skeleton hand reached out and grabbed out at the ledge. Another hand reached out that was holding a scythe grabbed upon the ledge as well and finally, it pulled itself out from the hole where it sealed up. Its ugly head rotated at 360 degrees where its bottom jaw popped down and shifted up and down with a large echoing cackle that rocked the room. The death omen then pulled its black hood from his long rag-like cloak over his head where his empty eye sockets beamed a crimson red at Haku from behind.  
  
"Help me...!"  
  
He urged as sweat ran from his forehead. The memories of his past flashed back and forth. One moment he knew everything then another, he held a blank mind. The pain struck him hard in the chest where he found himself having trouble to move. Chihiro didn't understand but she could see the pain in his gazing eyes. She lunged forward without thinking and grabbed Haku by the hands where she felt the warmness and then coldness from his hand. The element kept altering from cold to warm.  
  
The death omen levitated off from the floor and raised his scythe where he then brought it down in a vertical slash at Haku's back. When the tip of the steel tapped against Haku's back, his eyes widened and his eyes slowly started to turn into a pair of dark purple eyes. The scythe however, did not stop going at that point; the power applied on the scythe was pulled down by gravity. The scythe's blade came out from Haku's chest where dark energy flicked around them. Chihiro didn't let go as she tried to pull him away but as she did, the dark energy swallowed Haku's body and he fell unconscious down on the floor, his hand slipped from her grip and layed on the floor motionless.  
  
Chihiro darted forward after the Death omen's appearance disappeared into smoke and she placed both her hands on Haku's lifeless body that became uncovered. Her tears dried from her cheeks and she shook his hand up and down.  
  
"Haku!"  
  
(AWAKEN!)  
  
June's voice echoed into Haku's mind as she clasped her hands together. A pack of invisible vibes shot out from her hands and went towards Haku's body. Her eyes flashed a cruel look as she held back her feelings. She can't hesitate on this job, neither on other jobs as well. June felt guilty inside even though she knew she was committing a large sin that cannot be solved until she herself dies to atone for it, she refused to stop. This is the way she was born and taught, this is the path she'd chosen.  
  
Haku's head slowly moved from the left to the right as he brought his head up, facing Chihiro. His eyes never looked so angry. His fists were tightened and he grinned widely at Chihiro as he shot out his hand and grabbed her by the shoulder, tightly gripping that Chihiro stumbled down onto floor and cringed. Her hand swiftly grabbed Haku's hand and she tried to pick his fingers off.  
  
"Ah!"  
  
A short scream came out as Haku darted forward and covered her mouth with his hand. His cheek was pushed against hers as she was able to hear Haku's heavy breathing while his hand was tightly wrapped around her stomach, as well as her both her hands, against himself.  
  
Gavin felt someone tap him on the back. Immediately, he jumped up and turned around, readying to deck that person in the face as it turned out to be Tiffany who caught his fist in a blink of an eye.  
  
"Watch who you're hitting!"  
  
Tiffany hissed in a whispering voice as she knocked Gavin on the side of the head.  
  
"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit girls!?"  
  
Now Tiffany went over board. At this point, Gavin gritted his teeth and gave her shove as he turned away from her.  
  
"I don't have a mother anymore."  
  
He dared to say in an angry voice.  
  
Tiffany was brought to be speechless as she sighed.  
  
"I'm sor-"  
  
"I'm tired of people like you, always pitying me! Always blabbing on about how sorry you are. And they always make assuming statements that come out as a false statement then go on apologizing. You think everyone has everything, we'll know this; I don't have everything unlike some people. Listen, I don't need you around bothering me about that all the time. Just shut up the hell up!"  
  
He cut her off abruptly, whispering in an angry voice that wanted to break out then he shoved Tiffany down onto the floor.  
  
"..."  
  
(He's got some nerve to push me... Always easily pissed off, he must have had one hard life or he's just like that...)  
  
Tiffany didn't know what to say next but she held a sour look on her face and kept quiet behind him.  
  
(Geez, people like you never change much... Selfish conceited bastards...)  
  
Gavin shook his head from the thought. And said the next line in an annoyed voice  
  
"Why are you even here, Tiffany?"  
  
"... Reasons."  
  
"Stop being like that. Just answer me directly, dammit!"  
  
Gavin was pissed and he didn't have time to even waste. He was eager to find out everything at once, he didn't want to wait.  
  
"..."  
  
"... Forget it, I got things to do."  
  
Haku slowly arose up with Chihiro squealing and kicking her feet out. He held her tightly, just as June approached forward and held out her hand. Her hand was palm facing forward at Chihiro's face and she was slowly mumbling a sleep spell as Chihiro's eyes became drowsy and soon, she was out cold.  
  
June threw back her head and laughed with her hands at her hips (like any corny villain would do) as she slowly pulled out gloves that had a metal lining in the knuckles and wore it. She didn't give a second thought as Haku held Chihiro tightly becoming the target.  
  
"Fare well, love..."  
  
June's voice said as she drew her hand back and then lunged her metal aligned fist (brass knuckles in other words) forward at Chihiro's sternum.  
  
A body darted towards at the side of Haku and tackled him from the side, bringing him down to the floor as Chihiro's body was still tightly held to his chest. Gavin pushed them both completely into the floor as June's fist punched forward but made a completely miss. However, she didn't stop there; she brought down her fist and aimed to hit Gavin right in the back of the collar bone.  
  
"Back off!"  
  
Haku shouted as his eyes glared into Gavin's eyes. He kept Chihiro tightly wrapped around his arms, refusing to give her up.  
  
"Let her go!"  
  
Gavin turned his ahead around to see a fist coming down at him; he didn't have time to react fast enough. He didn't budge. A swift movement ran across the room and June found her fist at a pause. Tiffany had grabbed her wrist then proceeded to twisting it back but June countered, she shot out her foot in back of Tiffany's foot and pulled her foot back at the same time she pushed Tiffany in the chest, backwards. Tiffany stumbled into the floor where June was pulled down along as well. As the two were going at each others throats with their fight with magical attacks, the boys in the same consequence as well with one another.  
  
Haku struggled and kicked out his foot into Gavin's stomach on the floor. Gavin didn't back off, instead, he went all up in Haku's face screaming his lungs out.  
  
"I said let her go you damn bastard or you're going to make me have to kick your fricking ass!"  
  
"Huh? Not in a million years you fool."  
  
With Haku's remark being said, Gavin charged at him back into the floor and wrapped his hands around Haku's neck. Gavin's eyes became intent with anger and he tightened his grip within each passing second.  
  
"Listen, let her go and I'll back off."  
  
"I need to retrieve her and nothing's going to stop me."  
  
"You don't ever know when to quit, do you?"  
  
"I'm just getting started."  
  
Haku cupped Gavin by the wrists and mumbled a quick incantation. His hands emitted a red color then heat started to come off from his fingers as it burned into Gavin's skin. He drew his hands back immediately in which then Haku sat up and punched him right into the gut. Gavin's eyes bulged and he coughed out blood from his mouth that splattered on the solid floor next to Haku. Haku then jumped to his feet and walked over to pick up Chihiro while he rubbed his throat which had red marks from Gavin's hands. He hoisted her body over her left shoulder and looked down at Gavin who was curled in a ball on the floor.  
  
"Wait..."  
  
Gavin said, reaching out his hand at Haku.  
  
"I-I'm not done yet."  
  
Gavin struggled to stand up but his legs were shaky and his wrists burned. His held his stomach and wiped the blood off at the back of his hand.  
  
Haku grinned at him and kept his one hand wrapped over Chihiro so she wouldn't slip.  
  
"I don't hit a fallen man. And someone as useless and weak as you doesn't deserve someone as good as this girl here, Chihiro. You can't even win a fight for her. Give it up and clean that mouth of yours. And when you're ready, face me and we'll see if you'll get her back. But I highly doubt that you will simpleton."  
  
Haku walked right by him and moved towards the window where Nekura stood waiting. Nekura's face was filled with madness in an evil good way as he ran his fingers on the hair on his head to the end. He held his staff readying to counter any attack brought at him.  
  
Tiffany was thrown violently on the floor right next to Haku and she groaned for she was still in her human form. But that was no matter since her powers didn't not altar in anyway even if she fought in human form. June walked over to Haku and Nekura as she turned to Tiffany who lied on the floor with blood on one side of her mouth.  
  
"Try relaying on physical attacks little girl and not all on magic. Or at least, get better."  
  
She held up her fist and pretended to deck someone in the face as she punched into the thin air and laughed.  
  
Haku's dark expression remained normal as they started to disappear from the tearing wind that was created from Nekura's staff. The wind had swirled around for a while then as they started to disperse into energy particles to go else where, Haku's other self wanted to return and a part of him did and as he looked at Gavin, he whispered.  
  
"I still love her. I'm not going to give her up. 


	11. Revealed

Sorry about the long wait on the chapter but I've been having writer's block. And all my editors are never there. So I guess I won't wait anymore. I'll finish the whole story first then edit it because I know many of you still look foreword to reading it. I'm again, very sorry for the long wait and I hope you people out there still feel like reading this story and I know there will be a lot of errors but they will get fixed after the whole story is finished and has gone through with the editing. Thank you =]  
  
**Chapter 11: Revealed**  
  
Gavin was still down on the floor with his eyes gazing at the disappeared presence from where the villains stood before. His pupils were no longer tense and he just stared at the empty spot as his shoulders heaved up and down. He swallowed hard, realizing, he had lost this battle. He lost the most important person to him.  
  
Tiffany was half crouched next to Haku. She was biting on her bottom lip where she tasted her own blood. It had been a while since she's bleed too for she was always very careful but things changed. She was on a deeper mission. Her eyes merely glanced at Gavin then darted down at the floor.  
  
"We should go find her. You wouldn't know what they'd do to her."  
  
There a short silence. Gavin slowly turned his head around with pieces of dried blood being stained on parts of his face and arms.  
  
"Who were they?"  
  
He said it in his calmest tone although inside he wasn't sure whether he wanted to snap his last nerve or keep calm. He was beginning to become unsure of his feelings. Was he even sure that she was the most important person? Gavin had many more questions that flowed to the back of his mind. He wanted to find her yet another part of him didn't want to find her. Friends do come and go after all but he felt this attachment to this girl that he met. While he was thinking about all this, Tiffany was just finished telling him about villains.  
  
"Are you listening to me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
He snapped his head back up at her from where he sat on the floor. Tiffany frowned with her hands on her hips as she turned around to head out to the doorway.  
  
"..."  
  
Gavin didn't say anything. He didn't even bother to stop her. Instead, he sat here letting her just leave. However, Tiffany stopped and spoke with her bangs in front of her face and her eyes getting a bit teary.  
  
(He loves Chihiro? Way off...)  
  
"You're not going to stop me, are you?"  
  
"You're leaving so leave. What can I do to stop you anyway?"  
  
The words struck into her chest as Tiffany sniffed, reaching her human-form hand over where her heart would be. She didn't want to crack into sad and bitter moments because she knew Gavin wouldn't have much of compassion since he didn't 'care' for her in that way, or so it seemed. He was also very deep into his own thoughts sometimes that he would get... lost. He would just give one of his cold comments and shut up. That was the way he was and no was going to change that... except maybe that special someone that may enter his life.  
  
"You know in your heart that you love her, like she's your soul mate. You've been saying those 3 words in your mind and heart for a long time now but when are you going to let her know?"  
  
Tiffany whispered those words quietly enough for Gavin to hear.  
  
"There's still a chance for her to get back. And a chance for you to tell her how you really fe-"  
  
"I don't love her."  
  
The words slipped out then ran into Tiffany's mind. She took in a deep breath and let it out as she walked out the room.  
  
(Did I mean that? Am I too afraid to realize my feelings for her...? I wish someone could tell me. Could it be... because I know she loves that Haku kid? )  
  
"Wait."  
  
Gavin had something gripped tightly in his fist that he waved up and down at Tiffany with.  
  
"Tiffany."  
  
She stopped and turned around from where she stood which was in the dark corridor. In the darkness, her eyes gleamed maliciously and her hair looked red for some reason. It was like she was pure darkness.  
  
"I have what they're looking for."  
  
(WHAT?)  
  
Tiffany looked confused.  
  
"Here, take it and tell me when you find a way to find Chihiro. Maybe lure them out."  
  
He tossed it to her as Tiffany caught it between her hands. She picked it up between fingers and up to eye level in the darkness where the shiny gold magical seal glowed brightly. Her eyes widened.  
  
"What didn't you say anything before... you..."  
  
"And I know your little secret. You should have been smart enough to realize not to tell Masahiro."

-

-  
  
**Down Stairs**  
  
"He's a smart one..."  
  
Tiffany opened one eye and peered to her left where Mavis sat next to her on the sofa.  
  
"Guess he doesn't want to save the little damsel after all; poor thing. And why does the hell does that kid tell us he has the seal AFTER the girl you were supposed to guard was kidnapped? Imbecile!"  
  
Tiffany slouched on the couch and Mavis leaned foreword, petting Tiffany on the head. Mavis rotated her wrist downwards as a sharp 8'', flat steel shot out from the top of her steel claw. Her tongue slowly licked the edge right next to Tiffany who started to get a little uncomfortable.  
  
"He really loves her but he can't admit it. I know I wasn't suppose too but I've taken time to read through his mind and everything was singing, 'Chihiro' all over the place. I could be wrong... and yeah, I do wonder about that. Kids these days... are so... unpredictable. I never knew he even had it."  
  
Mavis brushed the flat steel against Tiffany's cheek as her eyes gleamed gravely.  
  
"You're still a child in demonic years and your powers still have much to grow. It's normal that you wouldn't sense a single thing. And you should really mind your own business and let the boy decide what he wants to do. It's best not to interfere and let things take there own way."  
  
"What do you know?"  
  
"I know you, Tiffany. I know you very well. In fact...you're one to jump into issues like these. Stay out of it or you're going to end up paying with you own life."  
  
Tiffany nodded and took those words into her head even though she knew she wasn't going to use them.  
  
"What ever... You can stop looking after me now. Go back to hell."  
  
Mavis had squinted her blood red eyes at Tiffany then slowly her body seeped under the sofa where she become nothing but a shadow and she disappeared from sight. With a sigh, Tiffany unclasped her hand as she looked at the magical seal.  
  
"No one can be trusted in this damn human world.... But I guess I'll just wait them to come to us. Much easier and they will be coming back... we can make a trade for Chihiro."  
  
She spoke quietly to herself as she was alone in the living room.  
  
"Trade for Chihiro... not a sure fire idea. But if we were to look... who would know the answers?"  
  
She sat thinking then jumped up off the couch.  
  
"The Spirit World! That's where they originally came from and that's probably where their base is!"  
  
A smile came to her face as she rubbed the seal between her two fingers.  
  
"Now I just need to know where that tunnel is. Perhaps Gavin would know... He's been living here all his life."  
  
Immediately, she took off darting upwards into the stairs and barged through the door where she found a surprise. Gavin was gone.


End file.
